Berlin could bolster Britain’s nuclear programme under plans to end Europe’s reliance on America for defence

Friedrich Merz’s government is keen to enhance Europe’s nuclear capabilities
Photo: DPA

Germany is in talks to invest in Britain’s nuclear deterrent, The Telegraph understands.

Berlin is considering offering financial support for Trident as it spearheads efforts to reinforce Europe’s nuclear umbrella.

One well-placed source said Germany wanted to better integrate itself into the existing British and French nuclear deterrents rather than pursue its own bomb because of the nation’s wartime guilt.

“We have a very strong interest that the existing nuclear powers in Europe extend their capabilities,” the source said.

The discussions between Paris, Berlin and London have accelerated in recent months amid fears the Trump administration will withdraw its military from Europe.

“Policymakers are waking up each morning and asking themselves what the hell the Americans are going to do tomorrow,” a diplomatic source in Germany said.

Fears about European security will only be heightened after John Ratcliffe, the CIA director, made an unannounced visit to Moscow for talks with Russian military intelligence counterparts this week.

The brief visit coincided with a US intelligence report warning that Russia might soon attempt to attack a NATO ally to test the alliance’s resolve.

As part of Germany’s push to reduce Europe’s reliance on the US, Friedrich Merz’s administration has turned its attention to enhancing nuclear capabilities.

“There is thinking and talking about how the existing nuclear capabilities [such as Trident] may play a bigger role for the defence of Europe, and of deeper cooperation among European countries,” a third security source acknowledged.

Military planners in Berlin also believe they could contribute conventional forces to support the functioning of the British deterrent.

This could include deploying German-operated Patriot ground-based air-defence batteries to key locations, such as the submarine base in Faslane, Scotland, home to Britain’s Trident fleet.

Britain already commits its arsenal of around 200 nuclear warheads to NATO for the defence of the alliance.

But while the UK has full autonomy over firing its weapons, it cannot build, maintain or modernise them without American cooperation.

The Trident missiles are built in the US and serviced at a facility at the Kings Bay submarine base, in the US state of Georgia.

Britain’s new Astraea warhead is being developed alongside the American W93 warhead programme as part of a £63bn overhaul of the UK’s nuclear deterrent.

German officials believe they could assist Britain in building the next generation of submarines, missiles or uranium enrichment for future warheads.

A German manufacturer has previously built submarines for Israel’s secretive nuclear deterrent.

Germany and Britain are already cooperating to produce new hypersonic stealth missiles as part of the Kensington House Treaty, the two countries’ first defence agreement since the Second World War.

Germany is holding similar talks with France. The two countries have held joint exercises to simulate how atomic weapons could be used to protect Europe.

There are also grand plans for German forces to take part in France’s flagship “Poker” nuclear drills in the autumn for the first time.

Unlike Britain, Paris does not participate in NATO’s nuclear sharing agreement and maintains its deterrent for homeland defence.

But Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has promised to “open the strategic debate” with allies interested in coming under the French umbrella.

France’s nuclear deterrent is entirely home-grown and made up of both submarine-launched and air-launched weapons.

Its independence makes it attractive to European countries seeking to be less reliant on Donald Trump’s America.

However, Mr Macron will leave office next year, potentially putting his country’s new strategy in doubt.

Among the favourites to replace him in the Elysée Palace are Marine Le Pen, of the hard-Right National Rally, and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the veteran hard-Left presidential candidate, both of whom have sceptical views of the EU and NATO.

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