Germany and France Deepen Cooperation on Nuclear Deterrence

Germany and France have agreed to intensify their collaboration in the field of nuclear deterrence, marking a significant development in European defense dynamics. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron convened the Franco-German Defense and Security Council at the Nörvenich military airbase near Cologne, where the two governments endorsed Germany's first participation in a French nuclear exercise. This meeting was followed by a session of the Franco-German Ministerial Council in Brühl.

This new phase of cooperation emerges after the discontinuation of the joint Future Combat Air System (FCAS) fighter jet project. Both governments are now seeking renewed momentum in defense ties, focusing on enhanced nuclear partnership as well as joint projects in satellite infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and the management of critical raw materials. Strategic discussions also covered preparations for the next multi-year European Union budget cycle, aiming for an agreement ahead of the 2027 European super election year.

The summit began with an official welcome for President Macron at Schloss Augustusburg in Brühl, a historic venue for Franco-German relations. The meeting included a ceremonial flyover by a French Rafale and a German Eurofighter jet. This gathering, the first of its kind since the FCAS project ended, signaled both countries' intentions to open a new chapter in their defense partnership.

During the Defense and Security Council meeting, officials addressed plans to expand the nuclear partnership. The session took place in a hangar displaying two Rafale and two Eurofighter aircraft, which had recently participated in joint aerial refueling exercises. Germany's Bundeswehr will, for the first time, join a French military nuclear exercise this year, reflecting heightened trust and operational integration between the two armed forces.

France, alongside the United Kingdom, remains one of Western Europe's two nuclear-armed states. While Germany hosts U.S. nuclear weapons under NATO's nuclear sharing arrangement, officials stressed that the new partnership with France is designed to complement, not replace, Germany's existing NATO commitments. The nuclear deterrence initiative is also open to other European nations, with France confirming that Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway have expressed interest in closer cooperation, in addition to the established agreement with the United Kingdom.

Beyond nuclear deterrence, Germany and France agreed to deepen military collaboration in several other areas. The Franco-German Brigade is set to join NATO's Multinational Corps Northeast exercises in Szczecin, Poland, while the Franco-German Transport Squadron based in Évreux, France, is expected to reach full operational capacity by the end of 2026. Germany also plans to participate in a military exercise initiated by France this autumn, as part of the so-called "Coalition of the Willing," which supports Ukraine in response to the ongoing conflict with Russia. Specific details of Germany's involvement are still under discussion.

The end of the FCAS fighter jet project, largely due to disagreements between industrial partners Dassault and Airbus, has motivated Germany and France to maintain and adapt core elements of their planned defense integration. Both governments intend to continue developing a unified European combat standard and a future system network connecting manned and unmanned aerial platforms. The goal is to ensure interoperability among European air systems using open, modular architecture and shared technological solutions.

This recent ministerial meeting is likely to be the last in the Merz-Macron era, as France is set for presidential elections in the spring of 2027. Nevertheless, both governments reiterated their commitment to a robust Franco-German defense relationship and ongoing support for broader European security cooperation.