Macron in Argentina to soothe would-be G20 wrecker Milei

RIO DE JANEIRO — French President Emmanuel Macron met with Argentinian President Javier Milei on Sunday in a last-ditch attempt to stop him derailing this week’s G20 summit in Brazil.

Macron’s visit to Buenos Aires is an attempt to “reconcile” Argentina’s chainsaw-wielding leader with “the priorities of the G20” and convince “Argentina to contribute to the international consensus,” said an official from the Élysée Palace.

On Monday, leaders of the world’s 19 largest economies and two international bodies gather in Rio de Janeiro to discuss the fight against hunger, climate change and global conflicts, as the world absorbs the shock implications of Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

Two officials from G20 nations confirmed that Buenos Aires was obstructing talks on the text of the final G20 communiqué, days after Argentina withdrew its delegation from the COP29 climate talks in Azerbaijan.

At the presidential palace in Buenos Aires, the two leaders greeted each other warmly on Sunday, with Milei giving his signature double thumbs-up and Macron waving to photographers and giving a thumbs-up.

Talks ahead of the summit in Brazil were already complicated by disagreements between Western countries, emerging economies and China and Russia, on a range of issues including climate finance and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In a video filmed aboard the presidential plane, the French president said on Saturday that he would discuss trade, agriculture and the G20 summit with Milei. “We don’t always think the same on a lot of topics, but it’s always important to talk,” Macron said.

Macron also said he would discuss “the defense of farming and our farmers,” a reference to talks on the Mercosur mega trade deal between the EU and South American nations. France is firmly opposed to the deal, which could be sealed in the coming weeks.

Milei, who has vowed to radically reform his country, was the first foreign leader to meet Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence since the Republican won the Nov. 5 U.S. election. During his visit to Florida, Milei argued in favor of an “alliance” with the U.S., Italy and Israel to protect “Western heritage,” according to AFP.

Argentina has also warned it is mulling leaving the Paris climate agreement.

Meanwhile, tensions appear to be rising between the U.S. and Brazil. On Saturday, Brazil’s first lady, Janja Lula da Silva, swore at tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has been put in charge of leading the new U.S. department of government efficiency. “I’m not afraid of you, fuck you, Elon Musk!” said the president’s wife at a G20 social event.