France presses Germany to clarify long-range missile strategy over nuclear escalation risks - FT

French and German officials are holding talks aimed at aligning Berlin's approach to long-range conventional weapons with France's nuclear deterrence strategy.

Paris fears that a conventional missile strike against a Russian target could be misinterpreted by Moscow, potentially triggering nuclear escalation.

The discussions come as Germany and other European countries expand their long-range strike capabilities in response to the growing threat from Russia.

Berlin is acquiring and developing ground-launched missiles with ranges of 500 to more than 2,000 kilometers, giving it the potential to strike targets deep inside Russian territory.

France is particularly concerned about how these weapons would fit into President Emmanuel Macron's concept of extending French nuclear deterrence to European partners.

French officials fear that Moscow could hold Paris responsible for conventional strikes carried out by other European countries under a broader deterrence arrangement.

One French official told the FT that France had developed its own nuclear "grammar and vocabulary" — an established understanding of how to communicate deterrence and escalation risks - that Germany and other non-nuclear European allies do not possess.

A senior German official acknowledged the need for European countries to develop a shared understanding of how long-range weapons should be used and how to manage the risks of nuclear escalation.

France and the United Kingdom are Europe's two nuclear-armed powers, while Germany, Poland, the Baltic states and Scandinavian countries are among those strengthening their conventional long-range capabilities.