The spectre of nuclear confrontation: Paris warns Berlin of the risks of deep strikes inside Russia
France is putting increasing pressure on Germany to establish rules and conditions governing the use of its long-range missiles in the event of a conflict with Russia, the Financial Times reported. Paris warns that the absence of a clear strategy could inadvertently draw Europe into an all-out nuclear confrontation.
Citing six officials familiar with the matter, the newspaper said Paris was holding talks with German officials to align Berlin’s doctrine on “deep precision strikes” (DPS) with France’s nuclear strategy. One French official warned that a conventional strike on a Russian site could trigger a “nuclear response” if Moscow misinterpreted military signals and crossed the nuclear threshold.
French fears of escalation
The concerns come as Germany, alongside Britain, Poland, the Baltic states and Nordic countries, seeks to strengthen its long-range arsenal to deter Moscow. These efforts include developing and acquiring ground-based missiles with ranges from 500 to more than 2,000 kilometres, enabling strikes deep inside Russian territory.
The initiative forms part of a Berlin-led push for European rearmament amid Russia’s continuing war against Ukraine and uncertainty over Washington’s commitment to the continent’s security under President Donald Trump.
Within the framework of President Emmanuel Macron’s concept of “forward deterrence”, Paris fears Moscow could hold France responsible for strikes carried out by partner countries. As one French official put it: “If you invite someone into your home, you are responsible if they set it on fire.”
Berlin’s lack of nuclear strategic culture
French officials said their country, as a nuclear power, had developed “tacit rules of engagement and a nuclear language” over time that Berlin lacked. They stressed the need for a clear, publicly articulated doctrine to prevent miscalculation by the Kremlin, particularly given Germany’s substantial €780 billion defence spending allocation through 2030.
A senior German official, however, told the Financial Times that Berlin fully agreed on the need for “a common doctrine and a shared understanding of the escalation ladder”. Possessing deep-strike capabilities necessarily required prior agreement on deployment arrangements, the official said, adding that talks were progressing towards a possible joint declaration by Germany, France and Britain.
Differing views among Western partners
London, meanwhile, played down the French concerns. A senior British official stressed that Germany’s strategic culture was evolving rapidly, explaining that Britain was holding similar talks with Germany to develop missiles with a range exceeding 2,000 kilometres under the agreement signed between the two countries in 2024. France’s possible participation in the programme was also being explored.
The British official said deep precision strikes were primarily intended to degrade an adversary’s fighting capabilities by targeting command-and-control centres, depots and weapons factories, rather than government or nuclear facilities. All partners, the official stressed, fully understood the need to avoid provoking responses that could lead to nuclear escalation.
Military warnings within NATO
Speaking at the Berlin Security Conference, German General Ingo Gerhartz, who heads the Alliance command responsible for Central and Eastern Europe, said decisions to use deep-strike weapons required continuous consultation among allies. Russia would attribute any individual action to NATO as a whole, he argued, emphasising the need to integrate these capabilities into the Alliance’s overall policy.
Military analyst Franz-Stefan Gady also highlighted the importance of setting priorities, managing escalation and establishing authorisation procedures to ensure effective deterrence. He expressed concern about how fully Germany’s political leadership understood the military plans needed to confront Russia.
Responding to the report, Germany’s Defence Ministry confirmed that it was developing these capabilities with Britain and considering French involvement. The Élysée Palace declined to comment.
