This move is seen as the first concrete step taken by the two European Union member states toward strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy in security and defense.
According to the magazine, the German Chancellor’s foreign policy adviser Günter Sautter visited Paris on Wednesday for the first round of consultations. Representatives from several European countries also took part in the discussions. The next meeting is scheduled to take place in Germany before the summer parliamentary recess.
In March, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron released a joint declaration on deepening cooperation in nuclear deterrence.
Also in March, speaking at the Île-Longue military base in the Brittany region, Macron unveiled the concept of “forward deterrence.” He said the approach could involve the “flexible deployment of components of France’s strategic forces depending on the situation.”
Analysts said the French president’s remarks suggest that French nuclear-capable aircraft could be allowed to access and operate from military bases in partner countries when necessary.
In addition to Germany, France is seeking closer cooperation on nuclear deterrence with Belgium, Denmark, Greece, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden.
