Europe

Home page

Europe

Merz, Macron eye new European security framework amid US reset

14 February 2026 04:05 (UTC +04:00)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday that Berlin had begun talks with France about a European nuclear deterrent, while President Emmanuel Macron said Europe had to become a geopolitical power given the Russian threat would not disappear, APA reports citing Reuters.

Merz, who said the region had to become stronger in order to reset its relationship with the United States, called in a speech to open the Munich Security Conference, on Washington to "repair and revive trust" in a dangerous new era of great power politics, warning the U.S. could not go it alone as the old global order crumbles.

"I have begun confidential talks with the French President on European nuclear deterrence," Merz said. "We Germans are adhering to our legal obligations. We see this as strictly embedded within our nuclear sharing in NATO. And we will not allow zones of differing security to emerge in Europe."

Macron is due to make a speech on the nuclear deterrent later this month.

He said the consultations with Germany and other leaders were part of a broader discussion that included conventional deep strikes capabilities, which Europe does not possess unlike Russia, and the role of France's nuclear deterrent.

"This is the right time for audacity. This is the right time for a strong Europe," Macron said. "Europe has to learn to become a geopolitical power. It was not part of our DNA."

"We have to reshuffle and reorganise our architecture of security in Europe. Because the past architecture of security was totally designed and framed during Cold War times. So it's no longer adapted," he said.