Merkel and Macron hold joint news conference at end of EU summit

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron will hold a joint news conference on Friday at the end of a European Union summit, a rare step which underscores the push for deeper cooperation between Berlin and Paris.

German and French officials confirmed that the two would respond to post-summit questions from reporters together. The last time leaders from both countries held a joint news conference at an EU summit was in Bratislava in September, when Merkel appeared with Francois Hollande.