On April 22, 2026, Sascha Hach gave a talk on the recent history and current state of German and French security policy at the invitation of the German-French Institute (dfi) and europe direct Stuttgart. In front of an audience of over 60 people, he outlined developments in both countries since World War II and outlined the opportunities for deeper cooperation.
Following an introduction by dfi Director Isabell Hoffmann and opening remarks by the French Consul General in Stuttgart, Gaël de Maisonneuve, Sascha Hach began by outlining the different priorities of recent decades: While France –relying also on its nuclear arsenal – sought to establish itself as an independent balancing power between the blocs during the Cold War, German security policy developed primarily within the framework of alliances. This applies in particular to participation in foreign missions, which, in accordance with the self-image as a civilian power established after 1945, are carried out only within alliances and for the purpose of collective security or peacekeeping.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Donald Trump’s re-election have led to a shift in policy on both sides of the Rhine, as Hach emphasized in the second part of his presentation. Despite the shared view of Russia as a threat to European security and efforts to achieve greater independence from the US, there are still obstacles standing in the way of deeper German-French – and European – security cooperation: Mutual concessions, regarding both Germany’s dependence on the US and France’s ambitions being a “global player”, could unlock the potential for a mutually beneficial, joint security policy, he concluded.
The event took place as part of French Weeks in the Stuttgart area.