France and Germany are weighing a common approach to long-range weapons as Paris worries that unclear signals from a conventional attack could prompt a nuclear response from Russia, the Financial Times reported.
Six people familiar with the discussions told the FT that French officials want the countries to coordinate their defense programs more closely. Officials are also expected to consider how the missile systems might be used and what should count as a deep-precision strike, the report said.
That definition matters because a conventional attack on a Russian target could be interpreted as a signal of wider escalation. A senior German official told the FT that European capitals need a “joint doctrine” and a common understanding of how a crisis could intensify.
Germany is reportedly acquiring and developing missiles with ranges from 500 kilometers to more than 2,000 kilometers. The FT said the country’s defense budget totals €780 billion over the five years through 2030, making Berlin a focus of the discussions.
French officials also fear Moscow could hold Paris responsible for strikes by partner countries under President Emmanuel Macron’s “forward deterrence” policy, according to the FT.
The discussions would add to existing Franco-German nuclear coordination. In March, the two countries set out plans for a high-level nuclear steering group and said their cooperation would reinforce NATO’s deterrence arrangements, according to EconoTimes’ earlier report on the initiative.
A British official told the FT that the assessment may overstate current risks, citing rapid changes in Germany’s strategic thinking and saying allies should support that shift. French and German officials are expected to discuss the issue, though the report gave no date for the talks.
