We have a week ahead that is full of diplomacy.

D-Day…

First of all, the G7 will meet in Brussels on Wednesday. Then world leaders will go to France and continue their heavy program there. The D-Day commemorations are expected to be in the center of attention, however, they will not be the main political events of the week. Bilateral meetings and discussions will undoubtedly be much more interesting than the protocol.

… and bilateral meetings

Barack Obama, Angela Merkel, Queen Elizabeth II and Vladimir Putin are also expected to visit Paris in order to commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day. Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin will meet President Hollande bilaterally on the side. Evidently, world readers will discuss the Ukraine problem (note that Russia is excluded from the G8[7] meeting as a sanction for the annexation of the Crimea). Therefore, the Putin meeting will be doubly interesting. Moreover, we need to note that former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet Putin, too, in Moscow (on Monday).

Excessive deficit procedure

On Monday, the European Commission will deliver its communication concerning the excessive deficit procedure against France. It means that budget issues might also be on this week’s agenda.

Check out this week’s events here: theweekinfrance23-2014.