Since the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the issue of nuclear security in Europe found its way back into an open debate. Alongside the nuclear powers France and the UK, the USA in particular guarantees the nuclear defense umbrella in Europe. As part of nuclear sharing, NATO member states without their own nuclear weapons benefit from the USA's nuclear protection. NATO's capability to defend its European members is therefore dependent on the USA's commitment to defend European NATO partners militarily in the event of a conflict. However, Europeans should not rely solely on the USA's nuclear defense. What are Germany‘s and France‘s positions on nuclear deterrence? Should Germany participate in France’s force de frappe, or even develop its own nuclear weapon? Could French nuclear weapons complement the European nuclear umbrella? How realistic and feasible is the idea of a rotating "red button" among European countries?
These questions were addressed at a Table Rone on October 18, 2024, organized by the CERC, the Institut français Bonn, and CASSIS. In two exlucsive workshops led by Héloïse Fayet, Research Fellow at the Security Studies Center, French Institute of International Relations in Paris, and Jun.-Prof. Dr. Andreas Lutsch, Federal University of Applied Administrative Sciences, Department Bundesnachrichtendienst, the French and German perspectives on nuclear deterrence were explored.
