Merz: European nuclear deterrence must become stronger
Germany needs to talk to France and Britain about jointly increasing European nuclear deterrence, conservative leader Friedrich Merz said on Sunday.
Speaking to national public radio Deutschlandfunk, Merz, who is set to be Germany's next chancellor following elections last month, pointed to his recent talks on nuclear deterrence with French President Emmanuel Macron.
"We want first of all to align our ideas with each other," Merz said. "We should also draw in the United Kingdom. We still have two nuclear powers in Europe," he said.
Nuclear sharing is part of NATO's deterrence concept. The United States allows certain NATO partners, including Germany, access to nuclear bombs in the event of war, and the German air force has nuclear-capable bombers that could carry US bombs.
Merz said the talks should always be conducted under the aspect of complementing the US nuclear umbrella, "which we would naturally like to see maintained."
Merz emphasized that Germany would not be allowed to have its own nuclear arsenal. He noted at least two treaties that prevented this, including the Two Plus Four Agreement that paved the way in 1990 for German reunification.
"In it, Germany expressly renounced possessing its own nuclear weapons, and it will stay that way," he said.
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