The Debate Surrounding Nuclear Sharing
The concept of nuclear sharing was developed by NATO during the Cold War, when the relationship between the two blocs was distinctly antagonistic. The USA wanted to underscore its guarantee of security to Western Europe, while Western Europe—including the Federal Republic of Germany—hoped to have a say in the planning of nuclear/military activity. Ever since, the Bundeswehr has maintained fighter jets capable of transporting and, if necessary, launching American nuclear bombs.
Now that the Tornado fighter jet has become outdated and is slated to be replaced, questions arise with respect to the foundations and potential future of nuclear sharing. How much say does Germany have? Is nuclear sharing even still militarily useful? Are there alternative—and perhaps less contentious—options for German military engagement? IFSH employees aim to actively contribute to a debate surrounding these questions that is both fact-based and devoid of preconceived conclusions.
German Politicians Renew Nuclear Basing Debate
Dr. Oliver MeierRead moreDiscussions are continuing in Germany about the future of NATO’s nuclear sharing arrangements. The recent round of the debate was triggered by the push of the Ministry of Defense to reach a decision…
More on Nuclear participation
IFSH Receives a 100,000 US Dollar Grant for a Research Project on Germany’s Politics on Nuclear Weapons
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Recent years have seen a remarkable uptick in German nuclear debates – even before Russia’s renewed aggression against Ukraine. The spectrum of potential political options discussed ranges from a…IFSH Report Provides Incoming Federal Government with Recommendations on Arms Control
Christopher Fichtlscherer, Dr Pia Fuhrhop, Dr Alexander Graef, Dr Mischa Hansel, Dr Alexander Kelle, Dr Ulrich Kühn, Dr Moritz Kütt, Dr Oliver Meier, Dr Neil Renic, Professor Dr Elvira Rosert, Dr Jantje Silomon, Franziska Stärk, Maren VielufRead more
In the coming years, the new German federal government will be faced with three difficult arms control issues. The government must create new approaches, protect existing ones, and further develop…Lecture about Germany´s nuclear politics since the Cold War
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On April 13, 2021, Ulrich Kühn gave a lecture titled "Choosing the U.S. Nuclear Umbrella: Counterproductive Consequences of Germany's Love for the Status Quo" within the lecture series "IR Talks" at…Nuclear Risk in the Euro-Atlantic
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Podcast on Europe and the Future of Arms Control
Dr. Ulrich KühnRead moreThe end of nuclear arms control seems almost inevitable. But what about conventional arms control in Europe? For "All Things Policy" - a podcast of the Takshashila Institution in Bangalore - Dr.…
Journal Articles
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Kütt, Moritz. 2021.
Ein Abzug der US-Atombomben in Büchel beendet die nukleare Teilhabe. Kommentar.
Die Friedens-Warte 94 (3-4): 273-277. DOI: 10.35998/fw-2021-0014. -
Meier, Oliver. 2021.
Debating the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from Europe: What Germany expects from Russia.
International Relations 14 (1): 82-96. DOI: 10.21638/spbu06.2021.105. -
Fuhrhop, Pia,
Ulrich Kühn,
Oliver Meier. 2020.
Teilhabe als Chance. Wie Deutschland atomwaffenfrei werden kann und die Sicherheit Europas dabei noch gestärkt wird.
Internationale Politik 75 (4): 62-66. -
Meier, Oliver. 2020.
Why Germany won’t build its own nuclear weapons and remains skeptical of a Eurodeterrent.
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 76 (2): 76-84. DOI: 10.1080/00963402.2020.1728967. -
Meier, Oliver. 2020.
German Politicians Renew Nuclear Basing Debate.
Arms Control Today 50 (5): 36-37. -
Kühn, Ulrich,
Tristan Volpe. 2017.
Germany's Nuclear Education: Why a Few Elites Are Testing a Taboo.
Washington Quarterly 40 (3): 7-27. DOI: 10.1080/0163660X.2017.1370317. -
Kühn, Ulrich,
Tristan Volpe. 2017.
Keine Atombombe, Bitte. Why Germany Should Not Go Nuclear.
Foreign Affairs 96 (4): 103-112.
Published in translation as Published in translation as -
Kühn, Ulrich,
Tristan Volpe. 2017.
Никакой ядерной бомбы, пожалуйста.
Россия в глобальной политике 16 (4): 58-68. -
Kühn, Ulrich,
Tristan Volpe. 2017.
Keine Atombombe, bitte. Warum Deutschland nicht zur Nuklearmacht werden sollte.
IP Internationale Politik 72 (4): 90-97.
Commentaries and other Publications
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Kütt, Moritz. 2021.
Atomwaffen: Gegen ein neues atomares Wettrüsten.
In: Frankfurter Rundschau -
Meier, Oliver. 2021.
Heimlich abgerüstet.
In: Zeit Online -
Kütt, Moritz. 2021.
Nukleare Teilhabe in Deutschland.
In: Nukleare Teilhabe -
Fuhrhop, Pia,
Ulrich Kühn,
Oliver Meier. 2020.
Welchen Sinn haben deutsche Atombomber?.
In: Spiegel Online, Politik -
Kütt, Moritz. 2020.
Ministerium will Flugzeuge für Kernwaffen kaufen: Das ist moralisch und rechtlich fragwürdig.
In: Frankfurter Rundschau -
Kunz, Barbara. 2020.
Nicht einfach eine Lebensversicherung.
In: Zeit Online -
Kühn, Ulrich,
Tristan Volpe,
Bert Thompson. 2018.
Tracking the German Nuclear Debate.
In: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Resource Page -
Kühn, Ulrich. 2016.
The Sudden German Nuke Flirtation.
In: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Latest Analysis
Reprinted as -
Kühn, Ulrich. 2017.
Unthinkable? The German Proliferation Debate.
In: Sleepwalking to Armageddon. The Threat of Nuclear Annihilation, edited by Helen Caldicott, 151-157. New York: The New Press.