Berlin (EFE).- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed their commitment to defense cooperation during a Franco-German cabinet meeting on Friday, further strengthening ties between Berlin and Paris.
The second ministerial meeting of its kind, co-chaired by the two leaders, took place at Augustusburg Castle, an 18th-century structure in western Germany.
Merz gave no relevance to the FCAS project, which failed in June to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet.
Nuclear exercises
«For the first time, we will participate in French nuclear exercises in a conventional capacity to see how we can improve our cooperation. We’re taking it step by step. There may ultimately be a new doctrine, but it’s too early to say,” stated Merz.
«We have established a strategic group whose sole task is to explore ways to improve our defense. France had previously offered nuclear cooperation during Charles de Gaulle’s presidency. At that time, we did not accept it because the global situation did not require it. Now we face different circumstances,” the chancellor added.
The defense ministries of both countries announced that Germany and France remain committed to the European Future Tank, also known as the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS).
According to both ministries, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom are working on developing long-range strike capabilities of up to 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles).
Space agreements
The German-French military cooperation presented at Augustusburg Castle extends into space, where Paris and Berlin intend to collaborate more closely.
The meeting in Brühl also led to the formation of a «high-level working group,» which reinforces Germany and France’s commitment to the IRIS2 constellation, an acronym for «Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity, and Satellite Security.»
Regarding future technologies, such as artificial intelligence, both countries expressed a willingness to collaborate more closely.
The ministries responsible for digital affairs agreed to increase collaboration between the German Institute for Artificial Intelligence Security and the French National Institute for the Evaluation and Security of Artificial Intelligence (INESIA).
Understanding the European budget
Merz and Macron reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to achieving the Savings and Investment Union and competitiveness in Europe by eliminating bureaucracy and creating a European budget for the 2028-2034 period with “smart cuts.”
«We are willing to make what is known in Brussels as ‘smart cuts,’ that is, cuts on which we agree,» Macron said.
Merz added that Germany and France are two of the main contributors and that they have a strong interest in ensuring that European budget funds are used efficiently.
He emphasized that a Franco-German agreement has already been reached in the debate to combine cohesion and agricultural funds into a single, large fund.
Raw materials and the French presidential election
The meeting in Brühl also served to advance cooperation measures on «critical raw materials» for Germany and France, two countries whose annual trade relations total nearly 190 billion euros. Berlin and Paris announced they will establish a roundtable to address the issue.
With just a few months to go before France’s presidential election, in which far-right candidate Marine Le Pen currently leads the polls, Germany and France emphasized their «collective efforts» to combat information manipulation and operations aimed at influencing public opinion within the European Union during their meeting in Brühl.
Regarding the French elections, Macron urged people to trust «the French people.»
«Don’t always expect the worst. Instead, hope for the best and trust,» he concluded. EFE
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