Shea Levin — text status

France is pressing Germany to spell out exactly when and how it would use its new long-range missiles against Russia, warning that a conventional strike Moscow misreads could push Europe over the nuclear edge. Berlin is buying ground-launched missiles able to hit deep inside Russia. French officials fear Moscow could mistake a conventional attack for something far more dangerous, and that Russia could hold France responsible for strikes by allies under its nuclear umbrella. A senior German official said he could not agree more, and that Europe needs a joint understanding of the escalation ladder.