Germany and France are aiming to end a long-standing rift over their joint fighter jet project by August, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Emmanuel Macron push for unity in European defence.
At a dinner on the outskirts of Berlin, the two leaders discussed the project, worth more than €100 billion ($117.73 billion), which has been dogged by delays and infighting over workshare and intellectual property rights.
"The defence ministers were tasked with evaluating a realistic outlook for further cooperation within the FCAS consortium by the end of August and submitting proposals for resolving existing conflicts," said the German spokesperson.
Defence ministers from both countries were instructed to provide a clear path forward for the FCAS consortium, which includes Dassault Aviation, Airbus, and Indra, and present conflict-resolution proposals by the deadline.
The goal is to replace France's Rafale and Germany and Spain's Eurofighters with a next-generation jet starting in 2040.
France reportedly seeks around 80% of the workshare, while Germany insists on maintaining previous agreements.
The meeting also covered other key topics such as European space policy, the Ukraine conflict, the Middle East, and trade relations with the United States.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to...
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a fresh attack on Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, S...
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 12 October 2026 with the top five natural disasters happening around the world. ...
The explosion at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday afternoon killed at least 12 people and injured a further 309, according to Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority. The airport remains closed until further notice.
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a fresh attack on Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
Yemen's Houthis renewed warning to airlines, airport workers, and travellers against using Saudi airports, saying the warning should be taken seriously and that the kingdom “bore responsibility for failed interceptions”, a day after an attack on Riyadh's international airport that killed 12 people.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukraine is ready to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow also halts strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow his country to hold presidential elections, saying it wanted an overall peace deal instead.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 12 October 2026 with the top five natural disasters happening around the world.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine is ready to respect the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, but only if Russia does the same, saying Moscow has already violated the agreement.
China has announced sanctions against Belize’s foreign minister and Paraguay’s communications minister over their countries’ diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The move comes as Beijing continues to pressure the few remaining nations that maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei.
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