Merz: No to German Nuclear Arsenal

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz has ruled out Germany acquiring nuclear weapons. The statement was made amidst discussions on European deterrence, in a podcast episode to be broadcast today.

Speaking on the Machtwechsel (“change of power”) podcast, Mr. Merz recalled existing treaties, such as the “2+4” agreement and the NPT, by which Berlin pledged to refrain from such actions.

However, he stated that the use of German aircraft for the deployment of French or British nuclear weapons could be considered. He pointed out that Luftwaffe Tornado fighters at Büchel Air Base are already available for the use of US nuclear weapons.

At the Munich Security Conference, Mr. Merz mentioned that he is discussing with French President Emmanuel Macron the proposal for a European nuclear deterrence framework. The proposal was initially made in 2020 but was met with caution by Angela Merkel and Olaf Scholz.

Nuclear deterrence in Europe is mainly based on US nuclear weapons in NATO member countries, estimated at around 100. Some are located at Büchel Air Base.

Source: APE-MPE