Is Britain Preparing to Share Nuclear Bombs With Germany?

Britain rolled out the red carpet for French President Emmanuel Macron last week. He rode with royalty in a golden carriage, waving at the crowd; ate dinner with the King and showbiz celebrities; and lectured British Parliament on the follies of Brexit.

But the biggest event of the trip was an agreement to work together in a way that puts both nations’ survival on the line. Britain and France both have nuclear bombs and nuclear submarines. It’s supposed to be the ultimate guarantee of national security. Wipe the nation out, and a nuclear submarine will rain down nuclear annihilation.

In the Northwood Declaration, they agreed their nuclear arsenals would “remain independent but can be coordinated and that there is no extreme threat to Europe that would not prompt a response by both nations.” As Britain’s defense department put it: “Any adversary threatening the vital interests of Britain or France could be confronted by the strength of the nuclear forces of both nations.” The deal gives little detail on how these two will cooperate, but it makes clear that they will.

“The [United Kingdom] and France have a deep history of defense collaboration, and today’s agreements take our partnership to the next level,” said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

But this isn’t really about France or Britain. The man who brought up the topic of nuclear sharing was German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The defense agreement is likely a stepping stone toward both nations spreading their nuclear umbrella over Germany.

A European Dimension

On February 22, shortly before the German elections, Merz said, “We need to have discussions with both the British and the French—the two European nuclear powers—about whether nuclear sharing, or at least nuclear security from the UK and France, could also apply to us.” In his election victory speech, Merz continued with this theme: “My absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the [United States].”

The day after he reached a general coalition agreement, he said, “Sharing nuclear weapons is an issue that we need to talk about.”

France responded. On March 5, Macron said: “Responding to the historic call of the future German chancellor, I have decided to open the strategic debate on the protection of our allies on the European Continent through our (nuclear) deterrence.”

France and Britain have been nuclear powers for over 65 years. But it’s only in the weeks after the German chancellor brings up nuclear sharing that they sign a declaration on sharing nuclear weapons.

We’re not the only ones to spot the connection. “It’s certainly a signal toward Russia, and other potential adversaries, that the UK and France can consider nuclear retaliation in the event of an attack, but not just on either of those two countries—there’s a European dimension to this as well,” said Lukasz Kulesa of the Royal United Services Institute.

William Alberque of the Pacific Forum said this declaration “is the clearest and firmest statement we have ever heard” from France “about their willingness to provide nuclear deterrence for the rest of Europe.”

Coordinating nuclear weapons with France is just a step toward Europeanizing Britain and France’s nuclear weapons—exactly as Merz has been calling for.

A German Strategy

A clear strategy is emerging among German thinkers. Internationalepolitik, published by the German Council on Foreign Relations, outlines Germany’s challenge. Even if Britain and France step up and provide Europe’s nuclear defense, they cannot replace everything the U.S. does.

Britain and France have large nuclear weapons. They lack small ones.

That’s a problem because small nukes are more “usable.” A nation may fear that a city-destroying strategic nuclear weapon will bring the wrath of the whole world down on their head. But a small bomb used on part of an enemy army? Is that such a big deal?

European leaders believe they need smaller nuclear weapons on hand, so they can respond to any Russian use of a small nuke. Without that, they would have to choose between a non-nuclear response or using a much larger bomb. France does have Air-Sol Moyenne Portée-Ameliore missiles, designed to be a warning shot. But on their lowest setting they are still over 300 times more powerful than the U.S. nuclear bombs stationed in Europe.

France and Britain would also struggle to provide the sheer quantity of nuclear bombs and the early warning network the U.S. has.

So Europe needs American bombs, for now. “France cannot and does not currently seek to replace the U.S.A. with its arsenal—however, the Europeans could one day find themselves in a situation in which the U.S.A. completely gives up its protective function,” writes Internationalepolitik. “Therefore, the biggest challenge is to shape the changes without Europe falling into a ‘deterrent gap’ and being exposed to Russian aggression without protection. The dilemma is to keep the U.S. in Europe’s deterrent while developing alternatives—without giving Washington the impression that it is no longer needed.”

So Germany has to build up Europe’s nuclear capabilities one quiet step at time. This looks like just such a step.

A Nuclear Mistake

Britain is trusting something essential for its the survival to other countries. It already struggles to keep at least one of its aging nuclear submarines at sea at all times. Could it “solve” the problem by tag-teaming with France? Then France would know exactly when and how Britain is vulnerable.

The U.S. has gone even further—and Britain could soon follow. America has given nuclear bombs to the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Turkey. In theory, the U.S. has to approve their use, but they’ve been sitting on foreign bases for years. America is paying billions to upgrade them to the latest version. They can be fired from America’s stealth fighter, the F-35, which it has sold to Germany and others. Germany will even help manufacture part of the plane.

Is it wise to hand weapons with such destructive potential to any nation? These could start a world-ending war.

Nations have routinely betrayed and stabbed each other in the back throughout history. We may have more modern technology than those before us, but we’re not better people. We have the same flaws and human nature. The big difference is that thanks to this modern, destructive technology, an act of betrayal could destroy an entire nation.

“How naive America is to entrust this immense firepower to nations that so recently—and throughout history—have proved to be enemies of the free world!” wrote Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry about America’s decision to share nuclear weapons with Germany. He warned: “The trust America is placing in Germany is absolutely condemned by the Bible. Why? Because it is trusting other nations rather than trusting God.” Britain is committing the same sin.

Mr. Flurry explained just one of many prophecies describing Britain and America (Israel in Bible prophecy, as our free book The United States and Britain in Prophecy explains) trusting in foreign powers:

In the end-time book of Ezekiel, God says, “And Aholah [speaking of the modern nations of Israel] played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours …. Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted” (Ezekiel 23:5, 9). This whole chapter concerns Israel, here called Aholah, and the Jews, called Aholibah, setting themselves up for one of the most shocking betrayals in history!

The Assyrians are the forefathers of the modern Germans, and one of the names used in biblical prophecy to refer to Germany today. (We prove this in our article “Is Germany in Bible Prophecy?”)

Ezekiel’s prophecy continues, “She [America and Britain] doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men” (verse 12). Germany is a very militaristic country, a nation with impressive soldiers. Now, as this country dramatically expands its military, America is celebrating.

“And as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea. And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her mind was alienated from them” (verses 16-17). In our time, “the Babylonians” refers to the Holy Roman Empire, which has Germany, Italy and the Vatican at its core.

God has a strong view about cozying up to such “lovers”! It is a matter of trust. America has no trust in God for protection, so it is trusting another nation—in this case, one with a terrifying history! We have put human beings ahead of God. God condemns modern Israel—especially America, Britain and the Jews—because they have “forgotten me” (verse 35). That is a serious mistake these nations are going to come to regret.

The book of Hosea adds an interesting dimension to this. Hosea 8:5-6 condemns the “calf of Samaria”—an idol made by its skilled craftsmen.

“It is well known that England excels in technical ability,” writes Mr. Flurry in his booklet on Hosea. “One of its greatest achievements has been the development of nuclear energy for domestic and military purposes. Could this be Britain’s calf? Could Britain think its nuclear power will get it through another war? … England relies on its ‘craftsmen’ for protection rather than God. They worship their technical ability—they ‘kiss the calves.’”

Britain and America look to nuclear weapons and to foreign powers instead of to God. And both will be used against them.

Hosea 10:6 states: “It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.”

“The word ‘it’ refers to Britain’s idols,” writes Mr. Flurry. “Could this be referring to Britain’s great technical ability being carried off to Germany?” Could it even refer to those nuclear weapons being used by Germany?

We are making catastrophic, nation-destroying mistakes. Yet as God also writes in the book of Hosea: “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help” (Hosea 13:9). God is allowing this, as it is leading to the time when “Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols?” (Hosea 14:8). Britain will learn a painful lesson not to trust anything instead of God. At that point, God can finally instruct that nation and the world in the way of life that brings joy, abundance and blessings.