Germany will participate in French military nuclear exercises for the first time this year as part of efforts to deepen defense cooperation between the two countries, particularly in nuclear deterrence. France and Germany announced this on Friday, aiming to revitalize collaboration following the failure of the joint next-generation fighter program Future Combat Air System (FCAS).
Speaking alongside French President Emmanuel Macron after a joint cabinet meeting, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed that German military personnel would take part in the French nuclear exercises. “This complements our participation in NATO’s nuclear deterrence system, to which we remain committed,” he said. Earlier this year, Macron noted that Germany was among eight countries that had agreed to join the French nuclear deterrence initiative.
At the same time, Macron emphasized that France, along with Great Britain, is one of the two nuclear powers in Western Europe and would maintain full control over decisions regarding the use of its nuclear weapons. The enhancement of defense cooperation follows the earlier failure of the joint next-generation fighter program FCAS. For Macron, demonstrating successes in the Franco-German partnership is crucial ahead of next spring’s presidential elections, where far-right leader Marine Le Pen is considered a frontrunner.
Political challenges and future projects
A potential presidency for Le Pen introduces uncertainty for European allies looking to bolster their defenses amid the Russian threat and the diminishing U.S. security commitments under President Donald Trump. In response, Chancellor Merz stated that “Germany’s hand remains extended to France,” regardless of the outcome of the French elections.
Earlier, Merz and Macron arrived at a joint meeting of the defense and security council aboard a Super Puma helicopter, a symbol of successful Franco-German cooperation. The event took place near the French Rafale fighter and the Eurofighter, a key aircraft for the German Air Force. The full cabinets of both countries also held discussions at a castle near Cologne, where in 1962, French President Charles de Gaulle and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer initiated the idea of a friendship treaty between the two nations.
The day before, Macron expressed his desire to give defense cooperation “new dynamics” to create “a strong Europe that unites our forces.” He noted that France and Germany aim to move past the failure of the FCAS program, which collapsed due to disputes between Airbus and the French company Dassault.
Merz also announced that both countries would continue developing a digital cloud management system, part of the FCAS project. Additionally, he confirmed Germany’s participation in French exercises this autumn as part of the “Coalition of the Willing,” which unites Ukraine’s allies.
During a meeting of this group on Monday, Macron stated that multinational forces supporting Ukraine after the end of hostilities would conduct exercises in countries neighboring Ukraine in the coming months to “confirm our deployment plans and demonstrate that we are ready.”
Source: France 24
