France is considering deploying nuclear-armed fighter jets in Germany amid uncertainty about the future presence of U.S. forces in Europe.
Friedrich Merz, who is expected to become Germany’s next chancellor, has called on Britain and France to strengthen Europe’s nuclear umbrella as he seeks to reduce Europe’s dependence on Donald Trump’s America.
An unnamed French official told the media that deploying fighter jets in Germany could send a message to Vladimir Putin, while diplomats in Berlin suggested that it could also pressure the British government to take similar action.
“Deploying a few French nuclear-capable fighters in Germany should not be difficult, and it would send a strong signal,” the source said.
French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Merz on Sunday evening before traveling to the White House, where he was set to present his European security and Ukraine defense plan to Trump. The United States has long guaranteed Europe’s security, maintaining an arsenal of about 100 nuclear missiles, many of which are stationed at a U.S. military base in Germany.
Last Friday, Merz stated that Paris and London should discuss whether their nuclear protection could also extend to Germany. On Sunday, he warned that the U.S. under Trump is now “indifferent to Europe’s fate.” Macron insists that Europe must hold discussions on the role French nuclear weapons could play in the continent’s defense.
A Berlin diplomat said that France’s proposal would increase pressure on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take similar steps and prove that he is serious about contributing to European security.
“If the French decide to deploy their nuclear deterrence forces in Germany, it will really put pressure on the British to follow suit,” the diplomat said. However, the source warned that such a request is unlikely to be officially made unless the Americans withdraw their nuclear deterrent forces from Germany.
