Germany and France: New times for nuclear power and security!

Germany and France: New times for nuclear power and security!

On August 30, 2025, Germany and France will intensify their cooperation in economic and security policy. A key result of today's Ministerial Council meeting in Toulon is the agreement on the use of nuclear power, which has largely been resolved. Both governments aim for equal treatment of low-emission energy sources, including nuclear energy, at European level. Germany has agreed to no longer block France's use of nuclear energy, particularly with regard to European regulations.

France, on the other hand, is not calling for EU funding for new nuclear plants, but would like to receive funding for research on new, smaller types of reactors. The meeting in Toulon led to the signing of an agreement in principle, which also includes supporting Germany in establishing hydrogen connections to southwestern Europe and integrating the electricity grids between the two countries.

Support for Ukraine

Another important topic was the situation in Ukraine. Germany and France assured Ukraine of further air defense assistance in the face of continued Russian attacks. Russia has so far shown no willingness to end the war against Ukraine, casting international diplomatic efforts in a difficult light. Both countries are discussing the possibility of increasing military aid and tightening sanctions against Russia in order to put pressure on it.

The sanctions are also intended to affect companies from third countries that support the Russian war. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Emmanuel Macron spoke positively about the results achieved in Toulon and emphasized the need to work with the US to persuade Russia to negotiate.

Outlook for future collaboration

Meanwhile, both countries assured Ukraine of security guarantees, but these were limited to support for the Ukrainian armed forces. However, there was no mention of sending ground troops in the event of a ceasefire or peace agreement. Macron announced new consultations with Ukraine's supporting countries, in which the sending of troops will also be discussed.

However, there was a setback before the meeting: the agreement on the FCAS air combat system failed, with the turn of the year being set as the new target for agreement. There is talk of “temporary difficulties”. Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius plans to invite the participating countries to Berlin in October to further strengthen cooperation.

These far-reaching agreements reflect a new era of cooperation between Germany and France in which both economic and security aspects are closely linked. It is clear to both countries that any successful cooperation also depends on a stable and secure European neighborhood.

Deutschland.de reports that... The time provides additional details on the outcomes of the Ministerial Council meeting.