Germany’s Merz hails nuclear deterrence cooperation with France

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing reporting from Anadolu and The Associated Press, reported that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said German conventional forces will join a French nuclear exercise for the first time before the end of 2026. Merz announced the step at a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron near Cologne on July 17, describing it as part of a developing Franco-German approach to deterrence.

Merz said the initiative could eventually lead to a new doctrine, while emphasizing that it is not intended to replace NATO’s nuclear umbrella. He said Germany remains committed to NATO nuclear sharing and deterrence arrangements. The report noted that U.S. nuclear weapons are stored in Germany under NATO’s deterrent posture, and that German aircraft are certified for a potential nuclear delivery role in an emergency.

Macron said Germany would take a leading role in European deterrence cooperation, including closer exchanges on practices, joint exercises, partnerships and trust-building among military and expert teams. He also said the expanded cooperation would not require German financing. As an initial signal of the effort, French Rafale jets and German Eurofighters took part in an in-flight refuelling exercise on Thursday.

The development comes as European governments debate greater defence self-reliance amid uncertainty over U.S. commitments to NATO. Al Jazeera reported that Macron invited European partners in March to deepen cooperation on France’s nuclear deterrent, and that several countries have shown interest. France has been the European Union’s only nuclear-armed member since the United Kingdom left the bloc in 2020.