The leaders of France and Germany on Friday sought to put the collapse of a flagship joint jet fighter project behind them as they agreed on a symbolic step towards greater nuclear deterrence and stronger defences for Europe.
Speaking alongside French President Emmanuel Macron at a press conference after a joint meeting of the two governments, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that this year would see German troops join a French military nuclear exercise.
"This is complementary to our nuclear participation and deterrence within NATO, which we still hold to," he said.
Macron said earlier this year that Germany was one of eight countries which had agreed to participate in a French-led nuclear deterrence project.
However he has stressed that France -- one of Western Europe's two nuclear powers alongside the United Kingdom -- will retain tight control over nuclear decision-making.
