German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul criticised French defence spending on Monday, calling for Paris to do more to turn calls for European security sovereignty into concrete capabilities.
Germany's Friedrich Merz on Sunday reiterated that he was open to France extending its nuclear deterrent in Europe, as the continent seeks to respond to US President Donald Trump's upending of the transatlantic alliance.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris next Wednesday, two days after the inauguration of Donald Trump as US president, Berlin said.
Emmanuel Macron will make a state visit to Germany in May, the German presidency said Thursday, the first trip of its kind by a French president in 24 years.
France and Germany on Friday firmed up plans to jointly develop a next-generation battle tank equipped with artificial intelligence and laser technology, billed as a game changer in modern warfare.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was set to receive French President Emmanuel Macron in Berlin on Friday after tensions between the leaders blew out into the open over differences on how to support Ukraine.
Tensions between France and Germany driven by differences over nuclear energy and combustion engines cast a shadow over a meeting of the 27 European Union leaders Thursday.
The German government said Friday that a joint parliamentary meeting planned next week with France has been cancelled, days after both sides scrapped their cabinet talks over disagreements on various issues.
Germany and France postponed a meeting set for next week between their governments until January as Berlin said that "more time" was necessary to find common ground on a slew of issues.