Merz and Macron Push New European Defence Plan as US Resets
Synopsis
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron said they wanted a more robust European security infrastructure as relations with the U.S. evolve, and as Russia continues to pose a danger. Merz signalled willingness to talk with France about a European nuclear deterrent, and Macron called for Europe to assert itself more as a geopolitical power. As the transatlantic alliance is shaken and public sentiment changes, leaders said there was an urgent need to re-establish trust with Washington while also creating a more jointly safe and independent European defence for the future
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron indicated a shift towards greater European autonomy in security at the Munich Security Conference. With global tensions on the rise and trans-Atlantic relations evolving, both leaders emphasised that Europe would need to shore up its defence structure but also seek to work with the United States.
- Merz acknowledges talks with France on European nuclear plans.
- Macron says Europe should become a more muscular and concrete geopolitical power.
- Leaders aim to reboot but not rattle U.S.-Europe alliance.
- France is the only nuclear power in the European Union.
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio takes a conciliatory tack.
- Poll finds that the favorability of the United States among Europeans is slipping.
MUNICH — Germany has initiated confidential talks with France to explore the prospects of a European nuclear deterrent, the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said Friday as leaders huddled there for another gathering focused on increasing security fears across many parts of Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron made his support for a stronger Europe clear, saying the threat from Russia would not go away and that the continent needed to be ready for long-term instability.
Macron added with the statement that Europe needed to wake up and was becoming too dependent on U.S. technology for both intelligence gathering and defence. The current system, he said, was designed during the Cold War and is no longer adequate to the threat at hand. France, now the European Union’s sole nuclear power after Britain left the bloc, is set to present a more detailed nuclear strategy later this month.
In opening remarks at the conference, Germany’s Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger called on the United States to regain and rebuild trust with its European allies. The global order made after World War II is changing, he said, and cautioned that no nation alone, including the United States, can cope with the mounting pressure on the international system. Merz said any negotiations about nuclear deterrence would be within Germany’s legal obligations and the alliance.
For decades European nations have depended heavily on American military power, including its nuclear deterrent, for their security. But escalating tensions, Russia’s war in Ukraine and shifts in United States foreign policy have prompted European leaders to boost defence spending and reconsider what they need to keep their people and territory safe. Germany is still banned by international agreements from creating a nuclear bomb.
The conference was also an institution whose reputation reflected changes in transatlantic relations. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the moment “defining” but gave a warmer message than last year’s stinging rebuke to European allies delivered by Vice President JD Vance. Rubio stressed that the United States is closely linked to Europe and both sides need to design their common future together.
Public opinion may confirm the strain. A YouGov poll across six of Europe’s biggest countries this week found the United States to be at its lowest favorability rating since the tracking began in 2016. Concerns about global trade tensions and political divisions also have contributed to uncertainty, with Russia still the primary perceived threat. In this context, European leaders are signalling that, while the relationship with Washington is crucial, the continent has to shore up its own security underpinnings.
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