Munich, 13 February 2026 (dpa/MIA) — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday confirmed he is holding talks with French President Emmanuel Macron over European nuclear deterrence, as world leaders gathered for the opening of the Munich Security Conference.

"I have begun confidential talks with the French president on European nuclear deterrence," Merz said in the Bavarian capital.

The chancellor said Berlin will adhere to its legal commitments, in reference to the 1990 international agreement on the reunification of Germany.

The treaty, known as the Two Plus Four Agreement, committed reunified Germany to renounce the manufacture, possession and control of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.

Under NATO's existing nuclear sharing arrangement, US nuclear weapons stationed in Europe can be deployed by aircraft from allied countries in an emergency.

US B61 nuclear bombs are believed to be stored in northern Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and western Germany.

However, calls for a European nuclear umbrella have gained fresh momentum following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the shift in US foreign policy under President Donald Trump.

Following the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union after the Brexit vote, France is the only nuclear-armed EU member state.

Macron first offered to hold negotiations with Germany and other EU member states on extending France's nuclear deterrent in 2020, but these were rejected by former chancellor Angela Merkel and her successor Olaf Scholz.

Yet Merz has appeared more open to discussing the issue with Macron, seeing the French offer as a supplement to NATO's nuclear sharing.