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.
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