The European security architecture faces historic challenges. Geopolitical shifts—such as Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the escalation in the Middle East, and the growing strategic alignment between China and Russia—are destabilizing existing alliances and raising questions about Europe’s future role within the global security order. Within this dynamic context, the Franco‑German partnership assumes particular significance. Close cooperation between Germany and France at the political, operational, and industrial levels has been decisive in the past for developing and strengthening European security and defense policy and will continue to play a central role in ensuring Europe’s defense capabilities in the future.

This book project analyzes how Germany and France jointly shape the European security architecture, the challenges that must be addressed, and the opportunities offered by intensified cooperation. In addition to a historical retrospective tracing the key milestones of Franco‑German security cooperation since the 1963 Élysée Treaty, it examines current developments such as the European Union Global Strategy (2016) and the Treaty of Aachen (2019), as well as responses to the war in Ukraine. The book explores prospects for enhanced security‑policy cooperation in an increasingly multipolar global environment and provides concrete recommendations for future cooperative projects in the fields of politics, the military, and the defense industry.

The edited volume will include essays and interviews by leading experts from academia, military strategy, politics, and diplomacy, reflecting both the historical dimension and the current challenges and future trajectories of the European security architecture. Alongside the political and military dimensions of cooperation, it will also shed light on defense‑industrial projects such as the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) and the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS), which serve as cornerstones of a shared European defense strategy.

Sandra Weeser served as a member of the German Bundestag from 2017 to 2025 and has been committed for many years to Franco-German cooperation as well as European security and defense policy. As a member of the Board of the Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly and a deputy member of the Committee on European Union Affairs and the Defense Committee, she gained extensive parliamentary experience and a deep understanding of both bilateral and European security issues. Professionally, she brings many years of leadership experience in the private sector, including roles as managing director and project leader for international transformation processes. Weeser holds dual citizenship (German-French) and has lived and worked internationally. Her particular interest lies in strengthening a sovereign Europe and advancing a capable European security architecture.

Contributors and interview partners include, among others:

H.E. François Marie Delattre, French Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany;

Dr. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, MEP and Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) in the European Parliament;

Ambassador (ret.) Joachim Bitterlich;

and Armin Papperger, President of the BDSV.