On 17 July, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that German conventional forces will participate in a French nuclear deterrence exercise before the end of the year. The announcement followed a joint Franco-German council of ministers in Brühl, near Cologne, and a defence and security council at Nörvenich air base, where French Rafale jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons were deployed. The exercise, part of France’s “advanced deterrence” concept outlined by President Emmanuel Macron in March, marks the first time German troops will take part in such a manoeuvre.

According to statements from both leaders, the cooperation is designed to complement, not replace, NATO’s existing nuclear sharing arrangements, under which US nuclear bombs are stationed in Germany. Chancellor Merz described the step as incremental, noting that it could eventually lead to a new doctrine but that it was too early to draw conclusions. President Macron stressed that the ultimate decision to launch a nuclear strike would remain solely with the French president, and that France would bear the full cost of its nuclear programme. The French leader argued that advanced deterrence creates “strategic doubt among our adversaries.”

Viewed from European capitals, the deepening of Franco-German nuclear cooperation reflects concerns among governments about the reliability of US security commitments and the threat posed by Russia. Moscow, through Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, has warned that the current international situation risks a direct NATO-Russia confrontation that could escalate to nuclear strikes. The French initiative invites eight European partners—including the UK, Poland, and the Netherlands—to contribute conventional capabilities to nuclear exercises, early warning, and missile defence, while Paris retains exclusive control over the nuclear trigger. Berlin’s participation, as Europe’s largest economy and a key conventional military power, is seen by analysts as a development that strengthens the credibility of the French-led deterrent framework.

The two governments also agreed to establish a strategic steering group to examine future deterrence needs and to pursue joint projects in long-range strike capabilities and early warning systems, alongside the UK. The failed Future Combat Air System (FCAS) fighter jet programme has been replaced by a focus on a common European combat cloud and interoperability standards. The next concrete step is the autumn nuclear exercise, while the broader trajectory of the partnership faces uncertainty ahead of the French presidential election next year, in which Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Rally currently leads in opinion polls. Both leaders signalled a desire to lock in progress before the end of Macron’s term.