Germany to join French military nuclear exercise

Germany will take part in a French nuclear exercise later this year, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday, after representatives from both countries' governments met near Cologne.

Speaking at a press conference alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Merz said a "strategic steering group" created by both countries would consider how to increase deterrence in the future.

"Alongside this work on a shared doctrine, German conventional forces will this year take part in a nuclear exercise of the French military," he said.

"This is complementary to our nuclear participation and deterrence within NATO, which we still hold to."

Regarding Ukraine, Merz said Germany would also take part in "a manoeuvre in the autumn held on the initiative of France."

"We will clarify together what form exactly this participation will take," he said.

The manoeuvre will be part of the so-called Coalition of the Willing of Ukraine's allies, who held their most recent meeting in Paris earlier this week, with Macron and Merz both present.

At that meeting, Macron said a Multinational Force for Ukraine, which would be deployed once the fighting ends, would hold exercises in the coming months in countries neighbouring Ukraine "to validate our deployment plans and demonstrate that we are ready."

AFP