Armin Laschet, the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Germany’s Bundestag, said that a debate over a standalone European nuclear shield is premature at this stage.
“That’s a very complicated question” Laschet told RTL and ntv on Friday. He explained that in Europe there are only two nuclear states-France and the United Kingdom-each with its own strategy. It remains unclear whether either of them would be willing to share that strategic posture with other countries. “Perspective‑wise, one can think about many possibilities, but it isn’t a current issue” he added.
When asked about France’s proposals to expand its nuclear shield, Laschet said that dialogue is essential-especially with French presidents. He stressed that how Germany could get involved would need to be worked out from the ground up. “We need to determine who has decision‑making power, how it would operate, and who would shoulder the major costs. Being a nuclear power brings billions in expenses” he warned. “So I’m not going to rush into enthusiasm just yet. Instead, we should wait and see how these discussions and ideas develop”.
