Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto was hosted again by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Friday night, local time, after both leaders attended the 2026 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Prabowo arrived at the Elysee Palace after nightfall and was welcomed by a full ceremonial honor guard, accompanied by a military band as he walked into the palace grounds.
During the inspection of the guard, Prabowo returned the salutes offered by French troops lined up in formation.
Moments later, President Macron, still wearing his blue-lensed aviator glasses, approached Prabowo in the palace courtyard.
Prabowo, dressed in a long black coat and his trademark black peci cap, removed his gloves before shaking hands with Macron.
The two leaders exchanged a handshake, after which Macron embraced Prabowo, placed an arm around him and escorted his guest into the Elysee Palace.
The temperature in Paris was about 6 degrees Celsius, though nighttime winds made it feel closer to 2 degrees.
Just before entering the building, Prabowo waved to palace photographers in the courtyard. The two presidents paused for photos while shaking hands at the entrance door, with Macron giving a thumbs-up gesture.
“Thank you,” Macron told palace photographers and videographers capturing the moment.
In an official statement, the Presidential Secretariat said Prabowo and Macron then proceeded to the Salon des Portraits, where the private dinner was held at the Elysee Palace.
“During the private dinner, President Macron hosted President Prabowo in a warm and friendly atmosphere. The conversation was relaxed but meaningful. The meeting served as a space for dialogue that strengthened personal communication and opened opportunities to deepen Indonesia–France cooperation in various strategic sectors,” the Indonesian Presidential Secretariat said.
“The dinner at the Elysee Palace was not only part of the diplomatic agenda but also a symbol of trust, closeness and a shared commitment to continue strengthening Indonesia–France relations and expanding a mutually beneficial strategic partnership in the future,” the statement added.
The dinner on Friday night was not the first time Macron has hosted Prabowo at the Elysee Palace.
Prabowo was previously received there on July 14, 2025, and earlier on July 24, 2024, when he was still Indonesia’s president-elect.
The Indonesian president also hosted President Macron and his wife, Brigitte, at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on May 28, 2025.
The visit was highly significant, as Indonesia and France marked the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations that year.
During his visit to Indonesia, Macron bestowed France’s highest honor, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, upon President Prabowo at the Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java, on May 29, 2025.
