France “ready” to move nuclear weapons to Germany – after Merz’s initiative
According to a British media report, France is offering to send nuclear-capable fighter jets to Germany as part of a protective umbrella for Europe.
France is ready to station fighter jets with nuclear weapons in Germany to use its nuclear deterrent to protect Europe, the British newspaper Telegraph reported on Monday evening against the backdrop of fears that Donald Trump could withdraw US troops from the continent.
A French official told the conservative daily that such a move would serve as a message to Vladimir Putin. Diplomats in Berlin also expressed hope that the stationing of French aircraft in Germany would put pressure on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to follow suit and also station nuclear-capable fighter jets in the country. "Stationing some French nuclear fighter jets in Germany should not be difficult and would send a clear signal," the source is quoted as saying.
Shortly before the federal election , Friedrich Merz (CDU) called for talks with France and Great Britain on nuclear protection. "We have to be prepared for the fact that Donald Trump will no longer fully accept the NATO treaty's promise of assistance," Merz said on ZDF . With regard to an adjustment of the so-called nuclear sharing, he said: "We have to talk to each other about what that could look like."
As the Telegraph further reports, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to Merz on Sunday evening before traveling to Washington to present his plan for European security and the defense of Ukraine to Trump. Macron had coordinated his visit, which fell on the third anniversary of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, with other European governments. Among other things, he assured the US president that the Europeans wanted to further increase their defense spending and were ready to send peacekeepers to Ukraine. (with AFP)
Berliner-zeitung
