France and Germany Launch Joint Security Council as Europe Seeks More Self-Reliance

The new partnership aims to boost military cooperation as the United States pushes Europe to shoulder more responsibility for its own defense.

French President Emmanuel Macron and new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced plans on May 7 to establish a Franco-German security council.

This signals a major step toward strengthening Europeโ€™s defense posture amid persistent threats from Russia and a shifting global focus from the United States under President Donald Trump.

Unveiled during a press conference at the ร‰lysรฉe Palace in Parisโ€”Merzโ€™s first foreign visit since taking office a day earlierโ€”the joint announcement signals a renewed commitment by Europeโ€™s two largest powers to take greater responsibility for continental security.

The move comes as the war in Ukraine grinds on, and the Trump administration urges NATO allies to sharply increase defense spending while pivoting Americaโ€™s strategic attention toward countering China in the Asia-Pacific.

โ€œWe will therefore accelerate the Franco-German program, developing new capabilities,โ€œ Macron said. โ€And beyond tanks, combat aircraft, and long-range missiles, we will establish a Franco-German defense and security council that will meet regularly to provide operational responses to our common strategic challenges.โ€

The council will serve as a formal mechanism for defense coordination between Paris and Berlin, including aligning procurement strategies, coordinating military planning, and shaping Europeโ€™s broader response to security threats.

Macron also acknowledged the wider geopolitical context, noting that Europe is negotiating both a trade agreement with the United States and possible security guarantees for Ukraine should a cease-fire deal with Russia materialize.

โ€œWe have to completely rethink our fundamentals, to also rediscover an international dialogue that is both peaceful and good for European prosperity,โ€ the French leader said. โ€œBecause today, with the tariffs, the policies that guide them, the United States is making decisions that are shaking up all of this.โ€

Merz echoed Macronโ€™s call for European unity, saying deeper Franco-German cooperation was essential.

โ€œWe will only be able to meet these challenges if France and Germany stand even more closely together than in the past,โ€ Merz said. โ€œThat is why Emmanuel Macron and I have agreed on a new Franco-German push for Europe.โ€

While expressing hope for a lasting cease-fire in Ukraine, Merz stopped short of offering concrete commitments for Kyivโ€™s long-term security.

โ€œIโ€™m really hoping that there will be a chance beyond the weekend to come to a cease-fire and then also to peace negotiations that could lead to a corresponding agreement,โ€ Merz told reporters.

Byย Tom Ozimek

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Columns

Pesky 9/11 Conspiracies Remain Without Explanation!

Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson (R) recently appeared in an...

Targeting Military Installations, IP Theft: A Look at Criminal Cases Involving Chinese Students

Trump adminโ€™s pledge to โ€œaggressivelyโ€ revoke visas of Chinese students was made after years of concern over CCP efforts to infiltrate U.S. academia.

Big Tech Liberals are Using AI to Censor Conservatives

The Federal Trade Commission is gathering information to expose how technology platforms have violated the law in censoring Americans.

Unveiled: Gynocratsโ€™ Brave and Stunning Strategy to Woo Back Male Voters

Thereโ€™s nothing โ€” nothing โ€” that drives Democrats more bananas than...

Ship of Fools

A rudderless ship drifts with currents. A freighter with no pilot is stuck at the dock. Rudderless and stuck are perfect ways to describe the Democrat party.

News

Western Pennsylvania Communities Welcome New Steel Partnership, Trumpโ€™s Arrival at Rally

Steel workers and Pittsburgh community are looking forward to Trumpโ€™s rally at U.S. Steel Corpโ€™s Irvin Works, grateful for efforts to bolster local industries.

Barron Trump Didnโ€™t Apply to Harvard, White House Says

First Lady Melania Trump rejected speculation that Barron Trump was denied admission into Harvard, saying he didnโ€™t apply to the Ivy League school.

PCE Inflation Inches Closer to the Federal Reserveโ€™s 2 Percent Target

According to Bureau of Economic Analysis, PCE inflation slowed to 2.1% last month, from 2.3% in March, the lowest reading since September 2024.

Supreme Court Allows Trump Admin to Remove Parole Status of Immigrants From 4 Countries

Supreme Court temporarily stayed lower court decision halting Trump adminโ€™s removal of parole for immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.

FBIโ€™s Bongino Says Agency Probing COVID-19 Origin Cover-Up as New Strain Drives Cases

FBI is investigating alleged cover-up of origins of COVID-19, agencyโ€™s deputy dir., Dan Bongino, said as a new strain of virus circulates in parts of the world.

SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Crypto Exchange Binance

SEC on May 29 voluntarily dismissed its civil lawsuit against cryptocurrency exchange Binance, following a nearly two-year legal battle.

Intel Agency Employee Charged With Trying to Give Classified Docs to Foreign Government

IT specialist employed by DIA was arrested and charged with attempting to transmit classified info to an officer or agent of a foreign govt, DOJ said.

Fedโ€™s Powell Says Interest Rate Decisions Will Be โ€˜Non-Politicalโ€™ in Meeting With Trump

Fed Res Chair Jerome Powell said decisions on interest rates would remain grounded in economic data and free from political influence.
spot_img

Related Articles