France Urges Germany to Align Long-Range Missile Doctrine
France is pressuring Germany to establish a joint missile doctrine to prevent Russia from misinterpreting conventional long-range strikes as nuclear escalation.
The Government of France has warned Germany that its acquisition of long-range precision-guided missiles could inadvertently trigger a nuclear conflict with Russia. Paris expressed concern that conventional deep precision strikes against Russian territory, using missiles with ranges from 500 to over 2,000 kilometers, might be misinterpreted by Moscow as a nuclear threat.
French officials are seeking to align German deployment rules with French nuclear doctrine to avoid signaling errors. This urgency stems from President Emmanuel Macron's forward deterrence policy, which French officials suggest could make Paris accountable for the actions of its partners. The Government of Germany, which is investing 780 billion euros in defense through 2030, has acknowledged the need for a joint understanding of the escalation ladder and a common doctrine on how crises intensify.
While the United Kingdom is also developing long-range weapons and conducting similar talks with Germany, some British officials suggested the risks of escalation may be overestimated. NATO General Ingo Gerhartz added that Russia would likely attribute any individual member's strike to the entire alliance. In response to the tensions, Vladimir Putin stated that Russia does not want war with Europe but warned that there would be no winners if conflict escalates too far.
