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| French and German leaders to mark Verdun battle centenary | French and German leaders to mark Verdun battle centenary |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are to mark the 100th anniversary of the battle of Verdun, the longest battle during World War One. | French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are to mark the 100th anniversary of the battle of Verdun, the longest battle during World War One. |
| Hundreds of thousands of French and German soldiers died during 10 months of fighting in north-eastern France. | |
| France eventually emerged victorious. | France eventually emerged victorious. |
| But today Verdun is seen as a symbol of Franco-German reconciliation, and Mr Hollande and Ms Merkel are expected to renew a call for European unity. | But today Verdun is seen as a symbol of Franco-German reconciliation, and Mr Hollande and Ms Merkel are expected to renew a call for European unity. |
| Verdun: France's sacred symbol of healing | Verdun: France's sacred symbol of healing |
| Speaking ahead of Sunday's commemorations, Ms Merkel said: "To be invited to these commemorations shows the extent to which relations between France and Germany are good today." | Speaking ahead of Sunday's commemorations, Ms Merkel said: "To be invited to these commemorations shows the extent to which relations between France and Germany are good today." |
| "Europe faces difficult tasks, there is no doubt about that," she said, in what was seen as a reference to the EU's continuing economic problems, its attempts to deal with a huge influx of migrants and sharp differences among individual states on the future of the 28-member bloc. | "Europe faces difficult tasks, there is no doubt about that," she said, in what was seen as a reference to the EU's continuing economic problems, its attempts to deal with a huge influx of migrants and sharp differences among individual states on the future of the 28-member bloc. |
| But Ms Merkel stressed that "Europe has also done and achieved many things". | But Ms Merkel stressed that "Europe has also done and achieved many things". |
| The battle of Verdun, 21 February - 15 December 1916 | The battle of Verdun, 21 February - 15 December 1916 |
| What caused Verdun to be the longest battle of WW1? | What caused Verdun to be the longest battle of WW1? |