Germany could 'help fund Trident' in bid to end Europe’s reliance on US
Paris, Berlin and London have been locked in talks as fears grow that the Trump administration could slash its military support for Europe.
Germany is reportedly in talks to invest in the UK’s nuclear deterrent as Britain looks for ways to end its military reliance on the US.
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Berlin is mulling offering financial support for Trident amid a push to strengthen Europe’s nuclear defences.
Germany is seeking to build deeper links to the British and French nuclear deterrents rather than make its own weapons due to its hangover of guilt from the Second World War, a source told the Telegraph.
“We have a very strong interest that the existing nuclear powers in Europe extend their capabilities,” the source told the newspaper.
Paris, Berlin and London have been locked in talks in recent months as fears grow that the Trump administration could slash its military support for Europe.
Under the plans, German-operated Patriot air defence systems could be deployed at British nuclear sites, including HMNB Clyde at Faslane in Scotland.
This where the Royal Navy’s ballistic missile submarine force is housed.
Read more: CIA director visited Russia to urge Moscow to not attack NATO
Read more: UK faces growing threat of Russian proxy attacks as defence chief warns Putin is escalating war
Berlin could also assist with the manufacturing or servicing of Britain’s nuclear submarines and missiles, the report suggests.
German companies may contribute towards uranium enrichment for future warheads under the plans being considered.
It comes as Moscow warned on Thursday that Russia could strike British military targets inside and outside Ukraine in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russia using British missiles.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on Britain to back off what she called London's hostile stance on Ukraine, which she said risked taking the conflict to an entirely new level.
She had told the same Moscow news briefing earlier that Britain and France were "playing with fire" by supplying sensitive missile technology to Ukraine.
Britain announced on Monday it would allow Kyiv access to classified technology to start its own production of Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles, capable of carrying out strikes deep within Russia.
France has already given its assent to license the technology for the European missile.
This also comes after reports emerged that CIA director John Ratcliffe visited Russia to urge Moscow not to attack a NATO country.
Mr Ratcliffe met with Russian intelligence officials while in the capital, but did not meet with President Vladimir Putin, in what US President Donald Trump has called a "semi-routine" trip.
The Wall Street Journal, reporting on the details of the visit, said that US intelligence believes that Putin is considering testing the resolve of NATO with a limited assault which could include a cyberattack or a small-scale land invasion.
Sergei Naryshkin, the head of Russia's SVR foreign intelligence service, confirmed on Thursday that he had held a "working-level meeting" with the CIA director and that they had discussed unspecified and sensitive matters regarding their respective intelligence services.
Speaking to LBC in February, the head of Britain's armed forces has told LBC that the UK can trust the US amid the growing risk of a potential war with Russia, but added that he “does not recognise” the White House's “characterisation of Europe".
Sir Richard Knighton made the comments after claiming that Britain's "sons and daughters" need to be ready to fight, as Russia could attack this country at any moment.
Asked if we can trust the US to support the UK militarily, Sir Richard said: "My experience is based on the contacts I have with the US military, and I can tell you from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff down to the most junior person that I deal with in the US armed forces.
"They are our friends and our allies and our comrades. We've fought alongside each other, and I judge that I can trust our fellow armed forces."
His words came as US President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on European leaders in February branding them "weak" in comparison to Vladimir Putin's forces.