Germany, France unveil strategic nuclear deterrence cooperation

Germany and France will expand cooperation on nuclear deterrence while remaining firmly committed to NATO’s nuclear umbrella, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday.

Speaking at a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron after a joint Cabinet meeting in Brühl, Merz said the two countries are entering a new phase of strategic partnership, with fresh steps in security and defence.

“We are embarking on a new, joint path regarding deterrence,” Merz said, adding that the two countries are working toward a new doctrine. “We are considering a mix of capabilities that will allow us to further enhance our joint deterrence in the future,” he said.

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The chancellor announced that, as part of this new cooperation, German and French soldiers carried out joint maintenance this morning on French Rafale fighter jets — aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons — at Norvenich air base.

“We will also send our German conventional forces later this year to a nuclear exercise that will be conducted by the French armed forces,” Merz said, stressing that this will be the first time German forces have taken part in such an exercise.

The chancellor also underlined that Paris and Berlin’s cooperation was not a move to replace NATO’s nuclear umbrella. “This complements our commitment to NATO’s nuclear sharing and deterrence arrangements, which we continue to uphold,” Merz said.