France, Fearing Nuclear War, Wants Germany to Clarify Missile Doctrine

France is pressing Germany to spell out when and how it would fire long-range missiles in a conflict with Russia, according to a report citing six people familiar with the talks.

French officials fear Moscow could misread a conventional strike and respond with nuclear weapons.

Paris wants Berlin’s rules for deep precision strikes to align with France’s nuclear strategy.

One French official argued for a doctrine made public enough to reduce the risk of miscalculation, according to the Financial Times.

“If the Russians don’t get the signal right, you could get to the nuclear threshold without realizing,” the official said.

Germany is acquiring and developing ground-launched missiles with ranges of 500 kilometers to more than 2,000 kilometers, giving it the ability to strike deep inside Russia once the weapons are fielded.

The effort is part of Berlin’s rearmament following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and growing uncertainty over U.S. security commitments to Europe under President Donald Trump.

Berlin Backs a Joint Doctrine

A senior German official said Berlin shared the goal of agreeing on when to use the missiles and how to manage escalation.

The official said formal talks had gathered pace after delays linked to France’s internal debate over its nuclear strategy.

A joint statement by France, Germany and the U.K. was one possibility, though the official said it was still some way off.

President Emmanuel Macron said in March he would open a debate on how France’s nuclear forces could help protect European partners.

French officials worry that under Macron’s concept of forward deterrence, Moscow could hold Paris responsible for strikes carried out by those partners.

Paris has focused on Berlin in part because Germany has earmarked €780 billion for defense over the five years through 2030.

Britain’s Role

Britain and Germany are working on weapons with a range beyond 2,000 kilometers under a defense agreement signed in 2024.

Germany’s defense ministry said the two countries were exploring whether France could join the program.

A senior British official said the strikes were intended to weaken an enemy’s ability to fight by targeting sites such as command centers, logistics hubs, ammunition depots and weapons factories.

“All of us are conscious of the need not to provoke escalation to nuclear level,” the official said.

Gen. Ingo Gerhartz, who leads the NATO command responsible for central Europe and the alliance’s eastern flank, told the Berlin Security Conference that allies should consult before carrying out deep strikes.

He said Russia would attribute a strike by an individual member to the alliance as a whole.