The Franco-German couple therapy of the past few days has already made concrete progress, and in an important area: the fact that the next phase for the development of the planned new air combat system FCAS could be agreed is to be welcomed in view of the changed threat situation.

Like all European armaments projects, it is likely to remain a conflict-prone and protracted project, but at least the political will for joint defense efforts has not flagged.

What kind of signal would it have been if the construction of the plane had failed just as war was returning to Europe?

Other current disputes, such as the one about the German double boom, are a little stuffed up, or difficult to resolve, like the one about the gas price cap, where there are tangible differences of interest.

But they won't last forever.

Much more important is the debate Macron has repeatedly called for about Europe's strategic orientation.

The old question of whether security should be maintained in the Atlantic or in Europe has long divided Berlin and Paris.

After Trump, Brexit and Ukraine, it is easier to answer than before: both are necessary in the short term, but in the long term the EU must become more capable of taking military action.