France Warns German Long-Range Missile Strikes on Russia Could Trigger Nuclear War, Financial Times Reports

France is pressing Germany to clarify when and how it might use long-range missiles against Russia, warning that a conventional strike could be misinterpreted by Moscow and trigger nuclear retaliation, the Financial Times reported on November 11. ⠀ Citing six people familiar with the discussions, the newspaper said Paris wants Germany’s approach to “deep precision strikes” aligned with France’s nuclear deterrence strategy. Berlin is acquiring and developing ground-launched missiles with ranges from 500 kilometers to more than 2,000 kilometers as Europe expands its defense capabilities. ⠀ French officials fear that a strike deep inside Russian territory could be mistaken for the opening move in a wider attack. Under President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to extend French nuclear deterrence cooperation to European partners, Moscow might also hold France responsible for German military action. ⠀ German officials say they agree on the need for a common doctrine and clearer rules for managing escalation. Britain, which is working with Germany on long-range weapons, says the intended targets are military facilities such as command centers, ammunition depots and weapons factories—not government buildings or nuclear sites. ⠀ The discussions build on a March agreement between Macron and Chancellor Friedrich Merz to coordinate conventional and nuclear deterrence, including deep-strike capabilities. The talks concern how weapons could be used in a future conflict; Germany has not announced plans to strike Russia.