France may deploy nuclear-capable aircraft in Germany if the US decides to withdraw American troops from Europe. This was reported by The Daily Telegraph, citing sources.
As an unnamed French official noted, it is not difficult to deploy several French fighters carrying nuclear weapons in Germany. According to him, this could be a “serious signal” to Russia. German diplomats who wished to remain anonymous, in turn, noted that such a step by the French authorities could prompt the UK leadership to follow their example.
The publication adds that the candidate for chancellor of Germany from the CDU/CSU bloc, the likely future head of government Friedrich Merz, who advocates achieving “independence” of Europe from the US, calls on Great Britain and France to expand the use of their nuclear arsenal for the defense of the region.
On February 21, Merz expressed doubt in an interview with ZDF that the US under President Donald Trump would unconditionally adhere to the mutual defense commitment under the North Atlantic Treaty. He noted that Europeans must “make significant efforts to be able to defend at least their subcontinent.”