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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday that Berlin has begun confidential talks with France on a European nuclear deterrent, stressing that the region must be strengthened to restore relations with the United States.
In a speech at the opening of the Munich Security Conference, Merz also called on Washington to "repair and revive trust" in a dangerous new era of great-power politics, warning that the US cannot act alone as the old global order is unraveling.
The speech underscored that European leaders are increasingly seeking to pursue an independent path, after a year of unprecedented turmoil in transatlantic relations, while simultaneously trying to preserve the alliance with Washington.
Europe faces a range of threats, from Russia's war in Ukraine to major shocks to global trade.
"I have started confidential talks with the French President on European nuclear deterrence," Merz said, adding, "we Germans are respecting our legal obligations. We see this issue as strictly integrated within the framework of nuclear sharing in NATO. We will not allow the creation of zones with different levels of security in Europe."
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to give a speech on nuclear deterrence later this month.
Officials have been cautious in their statements on this issue, as it constitutes the direct competence of the president.
European countries have long relied on the United States, including its large nuclear arsenal, for their defense, but have increased military spending, partly in response to strong criticism from the Trump administration.
While Germany is currently not allowed to develop nuclear weapons under international agreements, France is the European Union's only nuclear power following Britain's exit from the bloc and possesses the fourth-largest arsenal in the world.
Referring to warnings that the rules-based international order is on the verge of collapse, Merz said that "I am afraid we must say it even more directly: this order, however imperfect it may have been even at its best, no longer exists in that form."
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