The Netherlands and France held the first meeting of a bilateral Nuclear Steering Group in Paris on October 14, opening high-level talks on how to strengthen the European dimension of nuclear and conventional deterrence. The Dutch Ministry of Defence announced the meeting on October 15. The two governments discussed possible ways to connect French nuclear deterrence with European conventional capabilities, but did not announce a specific agreement, military commitment or operational plan.
The Dutch government has said cooperation with France would complement NATO’s collective defence and…