Germany to join French nuclear exercise in defence cooperation push
Germany will take part in a French nuclear exercise later this year, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced after defence talks with President Emmanuel Macron near Cologne. The two leaders also agreed to keep developing the cloud-computing component of their collapsed joint fighter jet project.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday that Germany will take part in a French nuclear exercise later this year, following defence talks with French President Emmanuel Macron at an air base near Cologne. The move marks a deepening of military cooperation between Europe's two largest economies.
Merz said the two countries would also continue developing the cloud-computing component of their joint Future Combat Air System fighter jet project, even after the broader programme collapsed earlier this year amid disagreements between French and German defence contractors over workshare and leadership.
The talks come as European governments push to strengthen continental defence capabilities independent of US support, with both Paris and Berlin citing the war in Ukraine and shifting transatlantic security commitments as reasons to accelerate joint military planning.
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