Germany to reach out to France and Britain over sharing of nuclear weapons

But Friedrich Merz cautions such a move could not replace the US’s existing protective shield over Europe

Friedrich Merz has put his political reputation on the line by reneging on a pre-election promise to keep the country’s rigid debt rules intact. File picture: Martin Meissner/AP

Germany’s chancellor-to-be, Friedrich Merz, has said he will reach out to France and Britain to discuss the sharing of nuclear weapons, but cautioned that such a move could not be a replacement for the US’s existing protective shield over Europe.

“The sharing of nuclear weapons is an issue we need to talk about,” Mr Merz said in a wide-ranging interview on Sunday with the broadcaster Deutschlandfunk (DLF).