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.

France and Germany will seek to move on from the failure of a tortured fighter jet project and bolster other joint defence plans -- including nuclear deterrence -- at a joint…

The meetings come weeks after industrial rivalries forced Paris and Berlin to scrap the landmark Future Combat Air System (FCAS) fighter jet program.

Speaking at a press conference alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Merz said a "strategic steering group" created by both countries would consider how to increase…