Three countries in trouble: Merkel and Macron won't resolve dispute over new fighter jets?

Progress on the €100 billion joint project has stalled due to tensions between German and French aerospace companies over leadership and work allocation, reports the portal.

After meetings of defense ministers in Berlin and EU leaders in Brussels, which produced no concrete results, expectations of a breakthrough by the end of the year have significantly diminished, the portal adds.

Emil Archambeau, a defense expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations, stated that it is unlikely the deadline will be met.

"They understand each other’s positions, but time is becoming a critical factor. If the 2040–2045 goal is to be maintained, there is a real urgency to reach an agreement," he said.

The future fighter jet, which will operate in coordination with a network of drones and a digital combat cloud, is expected to replace the current air fleets of the three partner countries—Germany, France, and Spain—starting in 2040.

According to officials, Merz, Macron, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez planned to discuss the matter on the sidelines of last week’s summits in Brussels, but no statements were made.

A German government spokesperson said on Friday that there is still enough time before the end of the year to find a solution for FCAS.

In Berlin, however, lawmakers are becoming increasingly skeptical that progress will be made in the coming weeks.

Christoph Schmidt, the Social Democrat rapporteur for aviation, said it is more likely that the decision will be postponed again.

He noted that other political priorities currently dominate, including the outcomes of the EU summit and France’s failure to reach an agreement on the 2026 budget.

Opposition criticism is similar. Jean Dilshneider, the Green Party rapporteur, emphasized that the stalemate highlights the need for closer political oversight of major European defense projects from the outset.

"The key issue is that FCAS does not become another good New Year’s resolution," she said, urging leaders to ensure that a decision is finally made in January.