• French President Emmanuel Macron emphasizes the importance of revitalizing cooperation with Germany during a visit, focusing on key international issues and strategic renewal.
• The Franco-German intergovernmental meeting aims to strengthen bilateral relations, with a focus on peace and security in Europe, joint defence and industry, and cooperation on future-oriented topics like artificial intelligence and energy transition.
• The historical significance of the meeting venue, Schloss Augustusburg, highlights the longstanding Franco-German partnership, with discussions involving ministers and state secretaries from 10 ministries on both sides.

French President Emmanuel Macron, on a visit to Germany, said on Thursday that he sees the two countries are growing closer again.

Speaking before the start of the Franco-German intergovernmental meeting at the Bensberg Castle near Cologne, Macron said he wants to breathe new life into cooperation with Germany and work in unison with Berlin on key international issues.

Franco-German relations have hit a rough patch recently, due in part to the virtual collapse of the joint FCAS fighter jet project.

But Macron said cooperation between the two countries must be further expanded and Europe's strategic renewal accelerated. The intergovernmental meeting intends to give new impulses to revitalize the bilateral relationship, Macron said.

"I believe I can say that the past few months have also brought about a genuine Franco-German rapprochement on the European agenda."

Together, the two countries intend to work towards peace and security in Europe and support for Ukraine, strengthen their joint defence and industry, and cooperate on future-oriented issues such as artificial intelligence and the energy transition, the French president added.

He said he was delighted to be visiting Germany with the French Cabinet, "at a time marked by a strategic new beginning for Europe, but which also signifies the consolidation of this Franco-German partnership."

Two castles and an airfield

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed him at the castle in the evening to prepare for Friday's intergovernmental meeting.

The meeting of German and French Cabinet ministers at a castle in Brühl near Cologne on Friday is likely to be the last attended by Macron, who is not running for reelection in April after serving two terms.

Merz highlighted the historical significance of the venue, the Schloss Augustusburg.

This was "the place, the location, the castle" where, 65 years ago, France's then-president Charles de Gaulle had offered German chancellor Konrad Adenauer a Franco-German friendship treaty. This Élysée Treaty remains "the basis for our work" to this day, said Merz.

Ten ministries involved

On Friday morning, the Franco-German Defence and Security Council will meet at Nörvenich Air Base. The meeting will focus on cooperation on nuclear deterrence based on France's nuclear arsenal, which was already agreed in March.

This will be followed by a meeting of the German and French ministers in Brühl. Ministers and state secretaries from 10 ministries on both sides will take part in the discussions.