Germany and France initiate nuclear cooperation through nuclear military maneuvers

The leaders of Germany and France announced today that the German military will participate in nuclear military maneuvers as part of a French initiative to deepen European nuclear cooperation.

The move by the two countries indicates that Europeans are increasingly relying on themselves for defense, given concerns about the US's willingness to adhere to security arrangements with Europe in the future.

"We will have German conventional forces in nuclear maneuvers that the French armed forces will hold before the end of this year," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Norvene air base near Cologne.

Merz said that cooperation with France "complements" the NATO nuclear weapons agreement to which Germany remains committed.

American nuclear bombs are stationed in Germany as part of NATO's deterrent force, and German military aircraft have the capacity to potentially carry these bombs in case of emergency.

Previous German leaders have rejected offers of nuclear cooperation with France, but "the world we live in today demands new answers," Merck said.

He also stated that German participation in nuclear military exercises would be with conventional means, for now.

"We are moving forward, step by step, it may be that this will result in some kind of new doctrine, but it is too early to talk about that now," Merc said.

Markon stated that enhanced deterrence is very important for European collective security "because it creates strategic doubt among our adversaries."

The French president said Germany would have a "vanguard role" in deterrence efforts and that "the dilution of the nuclear deterrent presence" is what confuses enemies.

Macron said the cooperation would include "explaining some aspects of our way of working, sharing certain closely guarded practices, offering joint exercises, developing joint initiatives and partnerships, as well as strengthening trust between our teams, experts and military personnel."

Macron did not provide details of the operational measures.

"Complete and absolute transparency is not necessarily the most effective strategy when dealing with adversaries on European soil," he said.

He also added that enhanced nuclear deterrence would not imply that Germany would finance it.