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Germany, Britain, Poland and several other European countries are significantly strengthening their defense and deterrence capabilities to prevent possible attacks on Europe. In this context, Berlin is reported to have acquired and to be preparing to produce long-range missiles capable of hitting targets more than 500 km away and at distances exceeding 2,000 km.
“Operative Information Center-OMM” reports, citing the Financial Times, that French and German officials will discuss rules for using the missiles. Paris fears that long-range precision strikes against targets on Russian territory could prompt a nuclear response from Moscow.
The concern largely centers on how the military and political framework for such strikes would be defined. If a conventional strike on Russia is not interpreted as the intended signal, it could lead the Kremlin to take more destructive retaliatory steps. A French official described the risk this way: “If the Russians do not read the signal correctly, we could cross the nuclear threshold without even realizing it.”
The situation could also affect French President Emmanuel Macron’s “extended deterrence” strategy. Paris believes Moscow could hold France directly responsible for strikes by its allies on Russian territory. An official familiar with the discussions explained: “If you invite someone into your home and they set it on fire, you bear responsibility.”
Sources who spoke to the Financial Times said France is seeking to coordinate the two countries’ defense programs to minimize these risks. The focus is on Germany, which has allocated a massive 780 billion euros for defense over the five-year period through 2030.
One source highlighted differences in nuclear experience: “We have habits that have developed over time, while the Germans do not. It would be better to have a clear, public doctrine so that the Russians never receive or misunderstand the wrong signal.”
A senior German official said they fully supported the view that European capitals needed “a common doctrine and a shared understanding of the escalation ladder.”
A British official, meanwhile, said concerns were being overstated, noting that Germany’s strategic culture was changing rapidly: “We must absolutely accept this rather than cling to past stereotypes.”
The discussions follow reports earlier this year that Germany was considering financing Britain’s Trident nuclear program to strengthen Europe’s nuclear deterrence in the event of a possible war with Russia.
