All articles tagged with #eu cooperation
Despite warmer personal relations and some policy cooperation between French President Macron and German Chancellor Merz, their efforts to revitalize the Franco-German engine are hindered by deep divisions on defense and trade issues, with domestic political pressures and upcoming elections threatening further progress.
Ukraine has launched a new program allowing foreign defense companies to test weapons and military technology on its battlefield, aiming to enhance battlefield performance and foster cooperation with Ukrainian manufacturers, amid broader EU efforts to integrate Ukraine into the European defense ecosystem.
France downplayed the latest diplomatic row with Italy over migration, emphasizing the importance of their partnership and prioritizing calm dialogue. The dispute arose after French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin called Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni "incapable" of handling her country's migration crisis. Italy's foreign minister cancelled a trip to Paris in response, demanding an apology from Darmanin. The French and Italian governments have clashed repeatedly over their common border and the admission of humanitarian boats carrying migrants. French Transport Minister Clement Beaune stressed the need for EU cooperation on migration, while the head of French immigration authority OFII said nearly half of migrants arriving on Italy's Mediterranean shore were from French-speaking sub-Saharan African countries.