France's Nuclear Deterrence Cooperation Plan Sparks Controversy

Reference News Network reported on March 4 According to the Associated Press on March 2, French President Macron announced on the 2nd that France will expand its nuclear arsenal and will allow the temporary deployment of aircraft carrying nuclear weapons to allied countries for the first time, as part of a new strategy to strengthen European independence.

In a speech planned long before the outbreak of the Iran conflict, Macron elaborated on how French nuclear weapons fit into the European security framework. Currently, European leaders are expressing concerns about the repeated conflicts with U.S. President Trump and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Since Brexit in 2020, France has been the only nuclear-armed country in the European Union.

In a speech at the naval base on the island of Longe, located along the Atlantic coast, Macron stated, “To gain freedom, one must first instill fear.”

Macron stated that his new plan, which he calls “frontline deterrence,” would allow part of France’s “strategic air force to be temporarily deployed to allied countries,” but he emphasized that France would not share decision-making authority regarding the use of nuclear weapons with any other country.

Macron mentioned that France has begun consultations with the UK, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, and Denmark regarding such cooperation. He said that France would also allow partner countries to participate in deterrence exercises and allow non-nuclear forces of allied countries to participate in France’s nuclear activities. Macron is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces as stipulated by the French Constitution.

European partner countries welcomed this strategy. In a joint statement, Macron and German Chancellor Merz stated that the two countries would deepen deterrence integration starting this year, “including the participation of German conventional forces in French nuclear exercises and joint visits to strategic locations.”

The Dutch Minister of Defense and the Minister of Foreign Affairs stated in a letter to Dutch lawmakers that the Netherlands is engaged in strategic talks with France regarding nuclear deterrence, which “is a complement to NATO’s collective defense, not a substitute.”

Macron also announced that France would increase its nuclear warheads, but did not disclose the number of increases. This will be the first expansion of France's nuclear arsenal since 1992.

Macron said, “My duty is to ensure that our deterrent force remains—and will remain in the future—reliably destructive.”

European leaders are increasingly skeptical of the U.S. commitment to defend Europe under the so-called “nuclear umbrella.” Macron stated that with the emergence of new threats, the U.S. defense strategy has recently changed, indicating that U.S. priorities are being readjusted, prompting Europe to take more direct responsibility for its own security. He said that Europeans should more firmly take their fate into their own hands.

According to a report from the German news television channel on March 2, France plans to conduct joint nuclear military exercises with Germany and other countries and intends to expand its nuclear arsenal. In a keynote speech on nuclear deterrence at the naval base on Longe Island, Macron stated that cooperation in nuclear deterrence would begin this year and may include “visits to strategic locations and joint exercises.”

Macron emphasized, “Germany is our key partner.” In a joint statement issued on the 2nd, Macron and German Chancellor Merz said, “Cooperation is based on a consensus that nuclear deterrence remains a pillar of European security.”

It is reported that France and Germany will establish a “nuclear guidance group” in the future to propose recommendations for the coordination of strategic measures. This group will also discuss topics such as the appropriate combination of conventional capabilities, missile defense, and French nuclear capabilities.

According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, France possesses 290 of the approximately 12,200 nuclear weapons worldwide, making it the fourth-largest nuclear-armed country.

According to a report from EFE on the 2nd, Melissa Park, Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), stated that President Macron's announcement to increase France's nuclear arsenal “poses a direct threat to world peace and security.”

In a statement, Park wrote, “France has already spent $6 billion on its nuclear weapons in 2024, and it is unclear how much this unexpected increase will inflate that hefty expenditure. This is not progress; it is a nuclear arms race that no one can afford.”

Park also criticized Macron's statement that France would no longer disclose details of its nuclear arsenal, as transparency “while not a substitute for disarmament, is a measure to reduce risks and build trust, which can decrease the likelihood of accidental nuclear launches.”

ICAN also warned that Macron's announcement to negotiate with several European countries to expand nuclear cooperation involves countries that “are all members of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which prohibits the transfer of nuclear weapons or control over them to other countries.” (Translated by Zhao Feifei, Wang Ziqiang, Han Chao)