Vice‑Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil of the Social Democratic Party has urged Germany and France to hold new talks on Europe’s nuclear security. In an interview with “Spiegel” he explained that France has offered to make its nuclear shield more usable for European safety, and said Germany should engage in that discussion.
Klingbeil noted that, although Germany is committed under the Nuclear Non‑proliferation Treaty to keep no nuclear weapons of its own, the French proposal can still be accepted. He called the potential strategic dialogue between the two nations timely, stressing that it would not undermine NATO’s nuclear deterrence or Germany’s role within it. “I want to preserve that trans‑Atlantic pillar of our security” he said.
He warned that Europe must become stronger, a process that will require a greater role for Germany. “Germany must be a leading power in Europe” he added.
