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….