France-Germany row overshadows EU leaders' summit

Tensions between France and Germany driven by differences over nuclear energy and combustion engines cast a shadow over a meeting of the 27 European Union leaders Thursday. Existing strains deepened between the European Union's two biggest players after Berlin upset some of its partners by blocking a landmark deal to prohibit new sales of fossil fuel cars from 2035.

The ban is key to Brussels' ambitious plan to become a "climate neutral" economy by 2050, with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.Paris and Berlin have traditionally worked together to push forward the EU agenda. After the summit ended late Thursday, commission chief Ursula von der Leyen sounded an optimistic note about the negotiations that were "progressing", but added the issue was not raised during the leaders' talks.