Merz and Macron discuss nuclear deterrence and fighter-jet fallout at Rhineland summit

A warm welcome at Schloss Bensberg

Chancellor Friedrich Merz received President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday evening at Schloss Bensberg, a grand hotel overlooking Cologne. The two leaders held a working discussion in the Salon Medici before dining alone at the castle's two-star restaurant, which served French cuisine, a deliberate contrast to the standing fish sandwiches offered during the 2023 Hamburg ministerial council under former chancellor Olaf Scholz. Merz noted it was the second time the pair had met that week, following a Ukraine summit and the Bastille Day military parade in Paris, which he called a "truly moving event".

I believe I can say that the last months have brought a real Franco-German rapprochement on the European agenda.

Overcoming the fighter-jet collapse

The warm words mask a strained partnership. The Franco-German "engine" that is meant to drive Europe forward has been sputtering, most visibly after the joint Future Combat Air System (FCAS) fighter jet programme collapsed amid disputes between manufacturers and conflicting national requirements. Merz and Macron are using the Rhineland summit to move past that failure. On Friday morning, they will travel with their foreign and defence ministers to Nörvenich air base, where German and French soldiers are to demonstrate maintenance work on each other's Eurofighter jets as a symbol of close cooperation.

Nuclear deterrence takes centre stage

At Nörvenich, the leaders will also discuss the role of France's nuclear arsenal in European security, building on a nuclear partnership agreed in March 2026. The talks are a step in Germany's willingness to rely on French deterrence capabilities as the continent reassesses its defence posture. The defence and security council is the first formal session of the summit, before the full ministerial council convenes at Schloss Augustusburg in Brühl.

The shadow of 2027 and Le Pen

The meeting carries added weight because it is likely the last Franco-German ministerial council with Macron, who will leave office after the April 2027 presidential election. Many in Berlin and Paris fear that a victory by the far-right Marine Le Pen, with her EU-sceptic positions, could unravel years of bilateral cooperation. Political scientist Ulrike Franke of the European Council on Foreign Relations urged both governments to anchor joint projects in national self-interest rather than goodwill alone, so that a future administration would find them harder to dismantle.

What I would wish for is that we look a bit more at what is in the national interest of both states.

A broad agenda beyond defence

Beyond defence, the ministerial council will address the EU's next multi-year budget, where France and Germany have divergent priorities, as well as cooperation on artificial intelligence and the energy transition. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine and strengthening European industry. Merz highlighted the historical resonance of the Brühl venue: it was there, 65 years ago, that Charles de Gaulle offered Konrad Adenauer the Élysée Treaty, which remains "the basis for our work", Merz said.

What comes next

The summit concludes on Friday afternoon with a joint press conference by Merz and Macron. Officials on both sides hope the visible display of unity will reassure European partners that the Franco-German axis, while dented, is not broken. Whether the renewed momentum translates into concrete projects before Macron's term ends remains an open question.