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 and other questions will be discussed at a Table ronde with the Institute Français Bonn and CERC on October 18, 2024. In two exclusive workshops, the French and German perspectives on nuclear deterrence will be explored. Afterwards, the results will be publicly presented and discussed.

For registration, please contact Julian Schneider: schneiderju@uni-bonn.de

Programme

PART I - invitation only

9.30 - 9.45 a.m.: Opening
Prof. Dr. Peter Geiss
Professor of Didactics of History at the Institute of History, Board Member of the
Centre Ernst Robert Curtius (CERC), University of Bonn

9.45 - 11.30 a.m.: Workshops
Workshop 1: “The Role of French Nuclear Weapon in the Defense of Europe”, led by Héloise Fayet
Research Fellow at the Security Studies Center, French Institute of International Relations, Paris

Workshop 2: “Nuclear Deterrence without a National Nuclear Force: Exploring Germany’s Pattern of Behavior in a Nuclear World”, led by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Andreas Lutsch
Federal University of Applied Administrative Sciences, Department Bundesnachrichtendienst

PART II - open to public

12.30 - 12.35 p.m.: Welcoming Remarks

Dr. Matthieu Osmont
Director of the Institut français Bonn and Higher Education Attaché for the French Embassy in Germany

12.35 - 1.30 p.m. Presentation of the workshop results and discussion

Chair: Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie
Henry-Kissinger-Professor for Security and Strategic Studies, Director of the Center for Advances Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS), University of Bonn

Héloïse Fayet
Research Fellow at the Security Studies Center, French Institute of International Relations, Paris

Jun.-Prof. Dr. Andreas Lutsch
Federal University of Applied Administrative Sciences, Department Bundesnachrichtendienst