Germany, France meet for key defense talks after jet project collapse
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, right, welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron with military honors at Augustusburg Palace ahead of a meeting of the Franco-German Ministerial Council in Brühl, Germany, July 17, 2026. (AP photo)
The leaders of France and Germany met on July 17 for crunch talks on the future of their defense cooperation after the collapse of a flagship joint jet fighter project.
For French President Emmanuel Macron there is an urgent need to make progress in this area before next spring's presidential election in which far-right leader Marine Le Pen is a frontrunner to be his successor.
The prospect of a Le Pen presidency adds yet more uncertainty for European countries already scrambling to boost defense capabilities in the face of the Russian threat and waning U.S. commitment under President Donald Trump.
