France, April 24 -- The disagreement centres on the FCAS (Future Combat Air System), a €100 billion programme developed with Spain to build a next-generation fighter aircraft, drones, and a shared digital combat network.

The project was already under strain due to disputes between France's Dassault Aviation and the Franco-German aerospace partnership involving Airbus SE, which represents both Germany and Spain in the programme.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said he expects leaders to make a decision "this week," stressing that the final call rests with heads of state, including Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz and France's President Emmanuel Macron, who are attending the EU Council summit in Cyprus on 23-24 April...