Security barriers were being installed near the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in Paris on Tuesday, in preparation for its reopening on December 7.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to travel to Paris this weekend for the reopening of Notre Dame, according to a spokesperson for the executive. Approximately 50 heads of state and government are expected to attend the ceremony in the French capital on Saturday, including US President-elect Donald Trump. This will mark the first time von der Leyen meets Trump since his election last month and before his inauguration in Washington on January 20. The European Union is currently preparing for the return of the billionaire former real estate mogul, who has threatened to impose higher tariffs on European products and withdraw support for Ukraine.
A pedestrian captured a photo of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral illuminated in Paris on Wednesday, ahead of its reopening on December 7.
Von der Leyen's visit also coincides with ongoing disagreements with French President Emmanuel Macron over the free-trade agreement with the South American Mercosur bloc. She was scheduled to participate in a crucial summit in Montevideo, Uruguay's capital, on Thursday and Friday, where a long-awaited agreement could be finalized, despite reservations from France.
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