The Franco-German Defence Partnership in Europe

About this report

The security shock of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine has intensified debates on Europe’s defence capabilities, thrusting the Franco–German partnership into the spotlight. France and Germany together account for the EU’s largest military forces and defence industries.

Their bilateral cooperation – often described as the “Franco-German engine” of European integration – has historically been seen as a catalyst for deeper EU defence integration, dating back to the 1963 Élysée Treaty and subsequent initiatives like the Weimar Triangle. At the same time, each power has cultivated a distinct strategic culture.

Key questions this report answers

• How does the Franco-German partnership anchor European defence integration since the 1963 Élysée Treaty?
• How do France's and Germany's largest EU militaries and defence industries cooperate bilaterally?
• How do their distinct strategic cultures shape joint initiatives (e.g. the Weimar Triangle)?
• What is the outlook for the 'Franco-German engine' after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine?

Who it's for

Strategy, corporate-development and investment teams that need an ecosystem-level view — budgets, industrial capacity and technology landscapes — before committing capital or capacity.

Related reports

• The Emergence of a French-Led Intermediate Deterrence Architecture in Europe — France
• The Rise of the ‘De-Risking State’: How Europe’s €200bn+ Defence Finance Shift is Unlocking New Asset Classes (2025–2030) — Germany
• Europe’s Defence Overruns, Measured — United Kingdom
• National Promotional Banks and Europe’s Defence-Finance Gap — Germany
• KNDS and the Sovereign IPO — France
• The Economic Impact of Europe’s Rising Defence Spending — Germany

Methodology, format & delivery

DFM reports are built from primary and official sources — TED procurement notices, CORDIS and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, EIB operations, the NATO Innovation Fund portfolio, SIPRI data, official budget documents and company disclosures — read together with the underlying legal texts. Sources are cited in the document; it reflects them as of its publication date (01 October 2025). You receive a 10-page PDF, watermarked to you on every page, delivered on the confirmation page and by e-mail immediately after checkout (personal link valid 72 hours, up to 5 downloads). Guest checkout, single-user licence — Terms of Sale.

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