On Friday, the heads of state of France and Germany announced an expansion of defence cooperation, emphasizing nuclear deterrence, following the recent setback of a major joint fighter‑jet program.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, speaking alongside President Emmanuel Macron during a joint press conference after a bilateral summit, confirmed that German forces would take part in a French‑led nuclear exercise this year.
“This initiative complements our existing nuclear contributions and NATO‑based deterrence posture,” he declared.
Earlier this year, President Macron noted that Germany had joined eight nations in a French‑led nuclear deterrence initiative.
Macron emphasized that, despite collaboration, France will maintain strict national control over nuclear decision‑making, underscoring its status as one of Western Europe’s two nuclear powers alongside the United Kingdom.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron arrive for the talks at at the Noervenich air base near Cologne. © Thilo Schmuelgen, Reuters 
Addressing the issue on Friday, Merz told reporters that Germany’s “hand remains extended toward France,” irrespective of the outcome of the French electorate.
‘Bounce back’
Earlier, Merz and Macron stepped out of a Super Puma helicopter — a symbol of Franco‑German collaboration — before presiding over a joint defence and security council beside a French Rafale and a Eurofighter, a cornerstone of Germany’s air fleet.
The full cabinets of both governments convened in a Cologne‑area castle, a venue reminiscent of the 1962 meeting between Charles de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer that laid the foundation for Franco‑German partnership.
Macron stated on Thursday that the upcoming talks should inject a “new dynamic” into defence collaboration, aiming to forge a “powerful Europe that unites our strengths.”
The objective is for France and Germany to “bounce back” from the recent collapse of the joint Future Combat Air System (FCAS) fighter program, a casualty of disputes between Airbus and Dassault.
Merz indicated on Friday that Germany will continue to pursue a cloud‑based solution derived from the abandoned fighter‑jet project.
He added that Germany will participate in an autumn manoeuvre initiated by France, forming part of the broader “Coalition of the Willing” of Ukraine’s allies.
At a Monday meeting, Macron affirmed that a multinational force for Ukraine, to be deployed after the conflict ends, will conduct exercises in neighboring states in the coming months to validate deployment plans and showcase readiness.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, Reuters)
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