Withdrawal would weaken Europe in the face of a pandemic and US domestic distractions

There would be a number of negative and worrying effects. This move would take place while Europe is weakened by the impacts of Covid-19 and the US is dragged into the 2020 presidential electoral campaign, thus creating further room for maneuver for opportunistic adversaries. Moreover, it would happen without any diplomatic bargain with Russia over pan-European security, by ignoring the strategic consequences of INF treaty demise and significant Russian nuclear rearmament. Finally, such a German withdrawal from nuclear sharing would increase the estrangement between the US and a key European ally at a time of strong calls for greater burden sharing by Europe – an estrangement not helpful considering ongoing transatlantic tensions. Overall, this German move would definitively weaken both NATO and European security.