German minister rejects European nuclear deterrent, insists on US umbrella

2026-02-12 - 08:05

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has firmly pushed back against growing discussions within Europe regarding the development of an independent European nuclear deterrent, reaffirming that NATO's existing nuclear umbrella remains non-negotiable. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Pistorius dismissed speculation about the alliance's demise as premature and cautioned against illusions of European self-sufficiency in strategic deterrence. "Not Prepared to Bury the Alliance" "I am not prepared to bury the alliance before it has died—and I don't see any danger of that happening at the moment," Pistorius stated. He emphasized that the recently released U.S. National Defense Strategy continues to affirm Washington's commitment to extended nuclear deterrence for European allies, regardless of political rhetoric emanating from President Donald Trump regarding burden-sharing. Wishful Thinking and Wrong Signals The minister warned that believing Europe could replace the American nuclear guarantee within five or even ten years constitutes unrealistic "wishful thinking." He further cautioned that such discussions risk sending destabilizing signals to both adversaries and allies. "Our approach must be to keep the Americans in NATO," Pistorius insisted, arguing that the solution lies in strengthening the European pillar of the alliance precisely to preserve its transatlantic character—not to replace it. Growing European Anxieties Pistorius's remarks come amid rising unease among European capitals regarding the reliability of U.S. security guarantees under the Trump administration. Several senior European politicians have recently questioned whether Washington's nuclear commitment can still be taken for granted, with some urging Brussels to explore indigenous deterrent capabilities. The German defense minister's intervention represents the most high-level rejection of such proposals to date.