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German Greens leader Brantner calls for European nuclear deterrence debate

Franziska Brantner, co-leader of Germany's Greens party, has called for a debate on European nuclear deterrence, citing the need for a British-French nuclear umbrella. Brantner, a longtime opponent of nuclear weapons, argued that the US nuclear shield can no longer be relied upon indefinitely. She made the remarks in an interview published on May 23, 2026.

Franziska Brantner, co-leader of Germany's Greens party, has called for a debate on European nuclear deterrence, proposing a British-French nuclear umbrella for Europe. Brantner, a longtime opponent of nuclear weapons, made the remarks in an interview published on May 23, 2026, in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

"The US nuclear shield has been reliably available for many years," Brantner said. "But the Americans have made clear for years that they will not be available to guarantee our security indefinitely and to the full extent. Now Trump is added to the equation, and we must reckon with the risk that his whims could accelerate this development."

Brantner's goal is a European Defense Union, which she described as "much more than the nuclear umbrella, but without this dimension it would lose relevance." Her call marks a significant shift for a politician who was long opposed to nuclear weapons, reflecting what she characterized as a "new nuclear age."

Topics

european nuclear deterrencefranziska brantnergerman greens partybritish-french nuclear umbrellaus nuclear shieldnuclear weapons debategermany defense policy

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Frequently Asked

5
Who called for a European nuclear deterrence debate?
Franziska Brantner, co-leader of Germany's Greens party, called for the debate.
What did Brantner propose as an alternative to the US nuclear shield?
She proposed a British-French nuclear umbrella for Europe.
Why does Brantner argue the US nuclear shield is unreliable?
She stated the US nuclear shield can no longer be relied upon indefinitely.
When did Brantner make these remarks?
She made the remarks in an interview published on May 23, 2026.
What is Brantner's previous stance on nuclear weapons?
She is a longtime opponent of nuclear weapons.

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