Opinion: France is prepared to extend its nuclear deterrent to Germany
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel embrace following talks in Paris Wednesday. By William Drozdiak February 28 at 12:59 PM William Drozdiak is the author of “Fractured Continent: Europe’s Crises and the Fate of the West.” His forthcoming book about French President Emmanuel Macron and the future of Europe will be published early next year.
The implicit French promise is contained in a 16-page treaty signed in the town of Aachen, Germany, last month by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. The treaty is designed to deepen cooperation in military and foreign policy between the two leading powers of the European Union.
Both Merkel and Macron have lamented the erratic nature of U.S. leadership under President Trump, who at various times has questioned the purpose of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and complained that the United States bears too much of the burden for Europe’s defense. In addition to air and sea-based missiles, the United States keeps nuclear warheads in Germany, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands as a tangible symbol of its promise to shield its allies from outside nuclear threats.
French and German officials say there are growing strategic differences with the United States over how to deal with Russia, Iran, China, global trade and multilateral institutions. They contend European leaders have begun to realize that these conflicting approaches are not likely to end with the Trump presidency.
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