France and Germany Deepen Defence Ties With Missile Warning Pact

France and Germany have signed a joint declaration pledging to deepen bilateral defence cooperation across several strategic areas. The document says Paris and Berlin will draft a letter of intent to launch the "Jewel" missile early-warning system initiative, aimed at improving detection of ballistic and hypersonic threats. The two governments also agreed to open formal talks on broader security measures, including closer coordination of their nuclear deterrence policies. In the land domain, the declaration reaffirms their commitment to develop the Main Ground Combat System, the next-generation battle tank programme intended to replace Germany’s Leopard 2 and France’s Leclerc fleets toward the end of the decade. Separately, the statement commits the partners to provide Ukraine with additional air-defence capabilities as Russia continues to target critical infrastructure. No financial figures or delivery timelines were disclosed.