The cabinets of France and Germany posed for a family photo at a castle near Cologne on on Friday (July 17) where they had gathered for traditional Franco-German government consultations chaired by Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Emmanuel Macron.

The gathering took place at Schloss Augustusburg castle, the site where 65 years ago, then French President Charles de Gaulle and then German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer signed a Franco-German friendship treaty "which subsequently became the Élysée Treaty,” as Merz said a day earlier.

A news conference with Merz and Macron was planned for 3:15 p.m. (1315 GMT).

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

German Chancellor Merz, French President Macron pose for family photo with their cabinets

VIDEO SHOWS: GERMAN CHANCELLOR FRIEDRICH MERZ AND FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON TOGETHER WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE CABINETS POSING FOR FAMILY PHOTO OUTSIDE SCHLOSS AUGUSTUSBURG CASTLE

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: BRUEHL, GERMANY (JULY 17, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTER BORIS PISTORIUS AND GERMAN EDUCATION MINISTER KARIN PRIEN (IN MIDDLE) WALKING TOWARDS CAMERA FOR FAMILY PHOTO

2. FRENCH, EUROPEAN UNION AND GERMAN FLAGS

3. GERMAN FINANCE MINISTER LARS KLINGBEIL AND HIS FRENCH COUNTERPART ROLAND LESCURE (GLASSES) ARRIVING FOR FAMILY PHOTO, KLINGBEIL SPEAKING TO GERMAN RESEARCH MINISTER DOROTHEE BAER

4. FRENCH AND GERMAN CABINET MEMBERS GATHERING FOR FAMILY PHOTO, SCHLOSS AUGUSTUSBURG CASTLE IN BACKGROUND

5. REPORTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS

6. CABINET MEMBERS GATHERING ON PODIUM

7. PHOTOGRAPHERS

8. MERZ AND MACRON JOINING THEIR CABINET MEMBERS FOR FAMILY PHOTO

9. MACRON AND MERZ POSING FOR CAMERAS / FAMILY PHOTO

10. CABINET MEMBERS WALKING TOWARDS SCHLOSS AUGUSTUSBURG CASTLE