According to the analysis of the German Council on Foreign Relations – DGAP, one of the country’s leading think tanks, known for its influence on the Bundestag (Federal Assembly) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Germany, a new “nuclear dialogue” centered on the UK-France-Germany is being built for a defense architecture independent of the USA in Europe. The new framework discussed in Berlin aims to create a Europe-wide “nuclear troika” around the nuclear capabilities of France and the UK. According to DGAP, which compiles information leaked from the government about the new concept, Berlin also focuses on the possibility that “laws can be interpreted and relaxed” in order to achieve nuclear power. Experts evaluate the development as Germany aims to achieve nuclear weapons power.
GERMANY IS AT THE CENTER OF THE CONCEPT
According to the information in the analysis article published by the Germany-based DGAP under the signature of Karl-Heinz Kamp, a terrorist attack took place in Berlin due to Donald Trump’s policy of leaving NATO and increasing wars on a global scale. It is argued that Europe should also make preparations outside the US nuclear umbrella. In the analysis article, it was also stated that the Friedrich Merz government created a record defense budget to transform Europe into a conventional and nuclear defense power without the USA and allocated a significant part of its industrial power to the defense sector. The following information was included in the analysis article:
THREE CHANNELS OF THE CONCEPT
In Europe, only Britain and France have nuclear weapons. Britain has 225 nuclear warheads and France has 290 nuclear warheads. In Germany, while the laws allow the use of nuclear energy in the public energy sector and the establishment and operation of nuclear facilities, there are no definitive articles regarding nuclear weapons. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was included in the “nuclear umbrella of Europe” talks that started between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron, and an unnamed “European nuclear troika” was formed. has started to be established. According to DGAP analysis, the new nuclear defense concept developing in Europe is progressing through four separate channels. The first channel is the UK-France nuclear talks that have been going on since 2010. The second channel is the defense dialogue between Germany and the UK after the Trinity House Agreement signed in October 2024. The third channel is the Franco-German nuclear deterrence dialogue announced by Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz on March 2, 2026. The fourth stage is the opening of these bilateral formats to other European NATO countries such as Poland, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium and Greece. According to DGAP’s analysis, Berlin also aims to create a new European nuclear power in this way.
IS HE PLANNING TO BEND THE LAWS?
The real border in front of Berlin is International and constitutional obligations prevent Germany from directly acquiring nuclear weapons. In January, Friedrich Merz specifically emphasized that Germany would not turn to its own atomic weapon and that the initiative was compatible with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Similarly, Merz said at the Munich Security Conference that Germany adhered to its legal obligations and conducted the discussion without breaking away from the existing nuclear sharing framework within NATO. However, according to the information obtained, the German government and the General Staff comment that the current law determining the use of nuclear energy “can be expanded” and “does not prevent it from being stretched”.
EUROPE IS PREPARING FOR A BREAK FROM THE USA
It is claimed that as a priority step, Germany is planned to support the nuclear budgets of nuclear power countries, provide financial resources for the European common nuclear umbrella, and provide political support for the project in the European Council. DGAP describes this picture, which is carried out independently of Washington, with the sentence “Keeping the USA in the alliance as much as possible, but also preparing for a break.” describes. It is stated that the joint work of the government and the army was first presented to the German Parliament in January. On January 29, 2026, Thomas Röwekamp, Chairman of the German Bundestag Defense Committee, announced that Germany’s advanced technological capabilities could support common European nuclear defense. It is also stated that the German Bundestag Research Service has accelerated its evaluation studies in order to interpret the laws on nuclear energy in Germany.
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