Paris and Berlin sharpen Europe’s deterrence
Germany and France decided to expand their cooperation in the area of deterrence. This will include establishment of a high-ranking nuclear steering group.
(d.de) – France and Germany have decided to expand their cooperation in the area of military deterrence. In a joint statement, the French President Emmanuel Macron and Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz are highlighting the two countries’ close partnership, saying that the changed threat situation had encouraged this step.
The core of the project is the establishment of a high-ranking nuclear steering group that is to serve as a bilateral framework for discussing defence policy and coordinating strategic measures, including consultations concerning a suitable combination of conventional capabilities, missile defence and France’s nuclear capability.
Paris and Berlin announced that concrete measures would be taken over the course of this year. This will include conventional involvement of Germany in French nuclear exercises, joint visits to strategic sites, and further development of conventional capabilities together with other European partners. The two countries also want to strengthen their escalation management abilities below the nuclear threshold, in particular in the areas of early warning and air defence activities.
In their statement, Macron and Merz stressed that the cooperation did not aim to replace NATO’s nuclear deterrence or Germany’s contributions based on nuclear sharing arrangements.
