France presses Germany to clarify how it would use long-range missiles in war with Russia amid fears of nuclear escalation, FT reports

France is urging Germany to clarify its intentions regarding the potential use of long-range missiles in a war with Russia, as concerns over a nuclear escalation grow, according to the Financial Times. Germany is developing an arsenal of long-range weapons, which could enable it to strike deep into Russia. Paris has initiated discussions with German officials to synchronize Berlin's doctrine on employing long-range weapons with France's nuclear strategy.

A French source explained, "If the Russians don’t get the signal right you could get to the nuclear threshold without realizing." French officials are apprehensive that Russia might hold France accountable for any strikes executed by their allies. One source noted that France has established a "nuclear grammar and vocabulary" that Germany currently lacks.

A senior German official stated, "Berlin could not agree more" on the necessity for a unified doctrine, but claimed that France is not demanding this and they are opposing it. They added that the talks were stalled due to internal debates in France about the future of its nuclear strategy, but are now becoming more active.