EASTORA REPORT | A German missile strike deep inside Russia could begin as a conventional military operation and end in a nuclear confrontation. That is the danger French officials want Berlin to confront before Europe’s new long-range weapons enter service.
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Paris is pressing Germany to explain when it would use such missiles and how it would prevent Moscow from mistaking an attack for the opening move of a wider war, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, November 11, citing six people familiar with the discussions.
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Germany is acquiring and developing ground-launched missiles ranging from 500 to more than 2,000 kilometers. The longer-range systems being developed with Britain are expected to enter service in the 2030s, part of Europe’s drive to strengthen its defenses after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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France’s concern goes beyond a misread missile launch. President Emmanuel Macron wants broader European cooperation under his concept of “forward deterrence,” bringing partners into strategic consultations while France retains control of its nuclear arsenal. French officials fear that if Germany struck Russia, Moscow might hold Paris responsible as well.
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The two governments have committed to working together. In a March 2 declaration, Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz created a joint nuclear steering group and pledged to coordinate conventional weapons, missile defense and nuclear deterrence. A July agreement also called for managing escalation below the nuclear threshold.
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Berlin agrees that allies need a common approach to the risks, according to the FT. Britain, Germany’s partner in developing long-range missiles, says the intended targets would be military facilities such as command centers, ammunition depots and weapons factories—not government buildings or nuclear sites. Officials also stress the importance of coordination within NATO.
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Berlin has announced no plans to strike Russia. For now, the argument is over doctrine, not a military operation. Paris wants allies to settle when such weapons could be used, what they could hit and how Moscow might interpret them—before a crisis forces those questions