Germany, France deepen nuclear deterrence cooperation

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron are pushing ahead with cooperation on nuclear deterrence, with Germany agreeing to take part in a French nuclear exercise for the first time.

The German-French Defence and Security Council (DFVSR/CFADS) convened under their leadership on Friday morning in a maintenance hangar at the Nörvenich military airbase near Cologne to formally agree on Germany's future participation in a French nuclear drill.

The meeting, which also included the two countries' foreign and defence ministers, was flanked by two French Rafale and two German Eurofighter jets. The Rafale aircraft are designed to carry nuclear weapons.

Air refuelling as first exercise

The fighter jets had already taken part in a small exercise on Thursday to mark the practical start of nuclear cooperation. They were refuelled by a French tanker aircraft in French airspace. The exercise lasted just under two hours.

Macron had offered European partners the option of coming under France's nuclear umbrella years ago. France is the only western European country with nuclear weapons, aside from the United Kingdom. 

US nuclear bombs are currently stationed in Germany as part of NATO's nuclear deterrence, with the Bundeswehr providing fighter jets for their potential deployment. The cooperation with France is intended to complement and strengthen NATO deterrence.

Nine countries want to cooperate with France

France has also agreed on nuclear cooperation with fellow nuclear power the United Kingdom. Seven other countries have responded positively to the French offer: Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, Denmark and Norway.