French President Emmanuel Macron has ordered an increase in France’s nuclear warheads and outlined plans to involve European allies more closely in the country’s deterrence strategy.
Speaking at the Île Longue naval base in Brittany, home to France’s ballistic missile submarines, Macron said the current security climate required a shift in doctrine and a stronger arsenal.
“An increase of our arsenal is indispensable,” he said, standing before the nuclear-powered submarine Le Téméraire.
He did not disclose how many additional warheads France would acquire.
France holds about 290 to 300 nuclear warheads, according to official and expert estimates, making it the world’s fourth largest nuclear power after the United States, Russia and China. It remains the only European Union member state with nuclear weapons. The United Kingdom, which left the EU, also maintains a nuclear arsenal.
Macron said the decision reflected new threats and changes in global security. He cited Russia’s war in Ukraine, the erosion of arms control agreements and shifts in United States defence priorities.
“To be free, one must be feared, and to be feared, one must be powerful,” he said. “We must strengthen our nuclear deterrent in the face of multiple threats.”
He stressed that the ultimate authority to use nuclear weapons would remain solely with the French president. France would continue to define its “vital interests” independently.
At the same time, Macron proposed what he described as an “advanced” or forward deterrence model that would deepen cooperation with European partners.
He named Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, Denmark and the United Kingdom as countries engaged in discussions. These states could take part in nuclear deterrence exercises and host temporary deployments of French nuclear-capable aircraft.
“It will ultimately provide for the circumstantial deployments of elements of our strategic air forces to allied countries,” Macron said, referring to squadrons of nuclear-capable Rafale fighter jets.
He added that cooperation would take place in coordination with the United Kingdom and in transparency with the United States. France’s deterrent would complement NATO’s nuclear mission rather than replace it, he said.
France and Germany have established a joint nuclear steering group to coordinate on doctrine and the balance between conventional forces, missile defence and French nuclear capabilities. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin and Paris aimed to take “concrete steps” before the end of the year, including German participation in French nuclear exercises.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that Warsaw was in talks with France and other allies on what he called an advanced nuclear deterrence programme. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Stockholm was ready to join discussions, while maintaining that Sweden did not plan to host nuclear weapons in peacetime.
The European Commission said it would monitor security and energy risks linked to rising tensions in the Middle East, as EU leaders met to assess broader defence and evacuation measures.
France maintains a sea-based and air-based deterrent. At least one of its four ballistic missile submarines patrols at all times. Macron said a single submarine carried a strike capability comparable in scale to the total tonnage of bombs dropped on Europe during the second world war.
He rejected suggestions that France was entering an arms race. “It is essential that our adversaries cannot even glimpse the possibility of hitting France without the certainty of suffering damage they would not recover from,” he said.
HT