Results of the Franco-German Summit: Defense, Technology, Support for Ukraine

Talks were held in Germany between President of France Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor of the FRG Friedrich Merz, following which the parties determined priority areas for further cooperation in the defense and technology sectors.

One of the key outcomes was an agreement to deepen cooperation in nuclear deterrence. By the end of 2026, German units will participate for the first time in French exercises dedicated to this topic. In parallel, the parties agreed to continue implementing the JEWEL initiative, aimed at creating a European early-warning system for ballistic and hypersonic threats, as well as to expand cooperation in the areas of missile defense and long-range strike capabilities. Germany, for its part, will join the ELSA program, which focuses on developing European long-range strike capabilities.

A second priority is the effort to reduce Europe’s dependence on American and Chinese technology suppliers. France and Germany announced their intention to establish their own technology ecosystem focused on artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, semiconductors, high-performance computing, digital infrastructure, and the space sector. Special attention was paid to the development of the European IRIS satellite system and ensuring its compatibility with the future German military satellite constellation.

The third set of agreements concerned the security and stability of the European continent as a whole. Paris and Berlin reaffirmed their long-term support for Ukraine, including the supply of weapons and military equipment, funding for procurement, joint production, and the development of Ukraine’s defense-industrial complex. Air and missile defense, as well as long-range weapons, were identified as priority areas. The parties also agreed to expand cooperation in cybersecurity and in countering foreign interference and disinformation.