In a speech to the Bundestag on May 14, 2025, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, "The German army must become Europe's strongest conventional force." About a year after this striking statement, on April 22, 2026, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius unveiled Germany's first military strategy, placing Merz's goal at its center: "We want to be the strongest army in Europe."
While Germany's goal has received support from its European allies and across the Atlantic, France and its eastern neighbor Poland view it with suspicion due to the heavy legacy of World War II.
France's conditional support
In the documentary "Macron and Merz: Behind the Scenes of Power" aired on the Franco-German TV channel Arte on March 17, French President Emmanuel Macron was asked about Germany's goal of having Europe's strongest army. He replied, "If it serves the common interest, that's a good thing." But he added, "If not, then there's a question mark."
This conditional welcome is not limited to Germany's ambitious goal; the process described as the "German awakening" is also affecting joint defense projects.
Why did the FCAS fighter jet project fail?
According to German and French government sources on June 8, Merz and Macron concluded that the Franco-German joint combat aircraft project FCAS (Future Combat Air System) was no longer viable. The failure was attributed to the inability of Airbus and Dassault to agree on project leadership, workshare, and intellectual property rights.
According to a report by German public broadcaster ARD, FCAS, launched in 2017 by Macron and then-Chancellor Angela Merkel, was set to be Europe's largest and most expensive armament project. It planned to develop by 2040 a new fighter jet to replace German and Spanish Eurofighters and French Rafales, as well as unmanned systems and a communication network called the "combat cloud."
In a commentary following the announcement of the failure, the German magazine Der Spiegel said, "Merz and Macron are not aware of the seriousness of the situation," and assessed that "for the two officials, the project's failure is embarrassing, and for Europe, it is dangerous."
French suspicions
According to an article in the German newspaper Augsburger Allgemeine, Paul Maurice, Secretary General of the Franco-German Relations Research Committee, said Germany's armament plans are being met in France with "a mixture of strategic relief and political concern." Maurice noted that Paris has for years demanded Germany assume greater military responsibility in Europe, but that Germany's military buildup, FCAS disputes, and recent decisions by the German arms industry have raised the question among the French: "Is it seeking to strengthen European sovereignty or building an independent national power?"
Maurice also stated that the French defense industry has long been based on the idea of integrating companies, but that German arms manufacturers like Rheinmetall prefer to push themselves forward and make deals with other countries, and this model has driven France's fear of being relegated to the second tier.
At historic summit, effort to 'salvage what can be saved'
Today's Franco-German cabinet meeting at Augustusburg Palace in western Germany put the concerns of the two partners on the table. According to the left-liberal Süddeutsche Zeitung, "While Paris does not trust German military power, Berlin is concerned about France's political future."
The palace holds great historical significance: In September 1962, then-German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer hosted French President Charles de Gaulle here, a visit that became a symbol of reconciliation between the two former enemies. Shortly afterward, on January 22, 1963, the Élysée Treaty was signed.
At today's meeting, the parties are trying to "salvage what can be saved." While Macron expressed deep regret over FCAS's failure and said they must not stop there, the Berlin government stressed that the decision to halt the project was based on objective and logical reasons, and that nothing would change in Franco-German relations.
According to Süddeutsche Zeitung, plans are to continue unmanned aerial vehicle and joint communication platform projects. As for the joint tank project, the ground combat system, Germany remains committed, while the situation in Paris remains uncertain.
Macron's political future and far-right concerns
Today's meeting will be the last Franco-German cabinet meeting for Macron, who has served two terms. Set to leave office next spring, he is trying to advance as many projects as possible.
But what really preoccupies Macron is the possibility that a far-right figure from the National Rally could succeed him in the Élysée Palace. At the same time, Paris views the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party with concern and questions the future of the Franco-German axis that has formed Europe's stable core for decades.
Süddeutsche Zeitung raises the question: "What if an anti-European far-right government in France gets its hands on the control keys of the EU's only nuclear arsenal and cancels joint projects?" and notes that Augustusburg Palace is a good place to ask these questions openly.
