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[POLITICS] · France, Germany · 88 sources

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France and Germany deepen defence ties with first joint nuclear deterrence exercise

After the collapse of the Franco‑German Future Combat Air System (FCAS) fighter project, President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Friedrich Merz met in Brühl near Cologne for a bilateral ministerial council. The two leaders used the occasion to launch a "new dynamic" in defence cooperation, pledging to keep working on joint initiatives such as combat‑cloud networking, the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) and advanced missile projects.

A key outcome was the signing of an agreement to strengthen nuclear deterrence. French Rafale fighters and German Eurofighters conducted a joint air‑refuelling demonstration at the Nörvenich air base, and Germany announced it will join a French nuclear exercise later in 2026 – the first time German forces will take part in such an operation in a conventional role. Macron said, "I believe I can say that the recent months have brought a genuine Franco‑German convergence" on European security issues, including AI, space and the energy transition.

The meeting also reaffirmed commitments to collaborative work on drones, long‑range strike capabilities, satellite‑linked alert systems and other strategic technologies, signalling a broader effort to align European defence amid Russian threats and perceived waning U.S. commitments.

Sources

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Berliner Machtpolitik [www.jungewelt.de]
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