Amid growing unease among European leaders over the United States’ commitment to defending the continent, France announced plans to increase the size of its nuclear arsenal for the first time in decades.
Speaking at a submarine base in Brittany on Monday, President Emmanuel Macron said that in a world “fraught with risks,” France will also intensify nuclear weapons cooperation with eight European allies. He added that the country will no longer publicly disclose the size of its arsenal.
“So, to be free, one must be feared, and to be feared, one must be powerful. This increase in our arsenal is proof of that,” Macron said.
The president further stated that Rafale fighter jets could be deployed to partner countries such as Germany and Poland for the first time, enabling nuclear-capable jets to “spread out across the European continent” and complicate potential adversaries’ calculations.
“Today more than ever, independence cannot mean isolation,” Macron said during his 50-minute speech, with one of France’s four ballistic missile submarines in the background. He emphasized that France, the European Union’s only nuclear power, must strengthen its deterrent amid multiple threats, while retaining sole presidential authority over any nuclear strike decision.
Macron’s remarks followed the recent US and Israeli attacks on Iran, which risk destabilizing the region. He said European countries including Germany, Poland, Sweden, and Britain have agreed to participate in a “forward” nuclear deterrence scheme. In a joint statement, France and Germany confirmed the creation of a “high-ranking nuclear steering group,” clarifying that the arrangement “adds to, not substitutes for, NATO’s nuclear deterrence.”
France maintains the world’s fourth-largest nuclear arsenal, with roughly 290 warheads, while Britain is the only other European nuclear power. By contrast, United States and Russia each have thousands of nuclear warheads. Macron’s announcement marks a major doctrinal shift for France and Europe, which has historically relied on the US for nuclear deterrence.
