Russia’s frequent warnings to the west about the growing possibility of nuclear conflict coupled with European concerns about the continuing reliability of US extended nuclear deterrence have re-ignited a debate about the need for a European nuclear deterrent.
This analysis outlines the various proposals that have been made to this end in the past decades. It looks at some of the legal, financial, political, and practical issues involved in creating such a deterrent today by examining three possible models: a multilateral European nuclear force; the reconfiguration of NATO’s nuclear sharing arrangements; and the augmentation of existing French or UK nuclear forces to provide a European capability.
Download and read: Insuring against Uncertainty. A European Nuclear Deterrent?