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 Europe’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 Élysée Palace in Paris—Merz’s first foreign visit since taking office a day earlier—the joint announcement signals a renewed commitment by Europe’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 America’s strategic attention toward countering China in the Asia-Pacific.
“We will therefore accelerate the Franco-German program, developing new capabilities,“ Macron said. ”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.”
The council will serve as a formal mechanism for defense coordination between Paris and Berlin, including aligning procurement strategies, coordinating military planning, and shaping Europe’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.
“We have to completely rethink our fundamentals, to also rediscover an international dialogue that is both peaceful and good for European prosperity,” the French leader said. “Because today, with the tariffs, the policies that guide them, the United States is making decisions that are shaking up all of this.”
Merz echoed Macron’s call for European unity, saying deeper Franco-German cooperation was essential.
“We will only be able to meet these challenges if France and Germany stand even more closely together than in the past,” Merz said. “That is why Emmanuel Macron and I have agreed on a new Franco-German push for Europe.”
While expressing hope for a lasting cease-fire in Ukraine, Merz stopped short of offering concrete commitments for Kyiv’s long-term security.
“I’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,” Merz told reporters.
Merz said that only after a peace deal is struck will Germany be able to provide details on security guarantees “because we simply don’t know the conditions yet.” The German leader added that he is planning to visit Ukraine in the coming weeks.
The Paris summit came amid mounting European efforts to help broker a 30-day cease-fire in Ukraine, with both leaders emphasizing that France and Germany are in close contact to secure a pause in hostilities and lay the groundwork for peace.
“We welcome Europe stepping up for Europe, but they have to also invest in capabilities to do so,” said Waltz, who has since been nominated by Trump to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
In Washington, meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance said at the Munich Leaders Conference on May 7 that Russia was “asking for too much” in current peace talks.
“I wouldn’t say that the Russians are uninterested in bringing this thing to a resolution,” Vance said. “What I would say is, right now, the Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think they’re asking for too much.”
Vance said the Trump administration welcomed Ukraine’s openness to a 30-day cease-fire, but noted that the proposal was unacceptable to Russia, so the focus has turned away from pursuing a temporary pause in fighting.
He stressed that although Washington remains open to facilitating negotiations, the administration’s patience is wearing thin, and the two warring sides need to communicate directly.
“We would like both the Russians and the Ukrainians to actually agree on some basic guidelines for sitting down and talking to one another,” Vance said.
“Obviously, the United States is happy to participate in those conversations, but it’s very important for the Russians and Ukrainians to start talking to one another. We think that is the next big step we would like to take.”
