German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, right, welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron with military honors at Augustusburg Palace ahead of a meeting of the Franco-German Ministerial Council in Brühl, Germany, Friday, July 17, 2026. (Oliver Berg/dpa via AP)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, right, welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron with military honors at Augustusburg Palace ahead of a meeting of the Franco-German Ministerial Council in Brühl, Germany, Friday, July 17, 2026. (Oliver Berg/dpa via AP)