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2026-02-19 00:06:10
[Merz Explicitly Rejects German Development of Nuclear Weapons, Supports Deployment of French and British Nuclear Weapons] German Chancellor Merz explicitly ruled out the possibility of Germany developing its own nuclear weapons, instead hinting that Germany could deploy French and British nuclear weapons. Merz stated, "I do not want Germany to consider developing its own nuclear weapons." He also mentioned that Germany has pledged not to seek nuclear armament in several existing treaties, such as the 1990 2+4 Treaty on German reunification and the 1970 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Merz further stated that he could envision allowing the German Air Force to carry French or British nuclear weapons within the framework of an agreement that has not yet been negotiated. NATO's current nuclear sharing arrangements include the deployment of German fighter jets at the Bichel Air Base in the Eifel region for delivering US nuclear weapons. Merz stated, "Theoretically, this approach could also be applied to British and French nuclear weapons."
