France fears German long-range missiles could trigger nuclear escalation with Russia

Europe's efforts to build a stronger conventional deterrent against Russia are raising concerns as to whether a missile strike intended to weaken Moscow's military capabilities could instead trigger a nuclear response.

France is pressing Germany to clarify how it would use its expanding arsenal of long-range weapons, warning that a misreading of military intentions could push the continent towards a nuclear confrontation.Paris is concerned that a conventional attack on a target deep inside Russia could be interpreted by the Kremlin as a much broader threat, particularly if Moscow believes the strike has the backing of a nuclear-armed ally.

A French official told the Financial Times that a conventional weapon could hit a Russian target and still provoke a nuclear response if the signal was misunderstood.The concern has become more pressing as Germany acquires and develops ground-launched missiles with ranges of between 500 km and more than 2,000 km.