France is increasing the scale of its nuclear arsenal for the first time in decades and significantly strengthening nuclear weapons cooperation with 8 European allies, in an effort to strongly consolidate its deterrent doctrine, President Emmanuel Macron emphasized on March 2.
However, he noted that there will be no sharing of the decision-making power over the use of nuclear weapons by the country, with the "final decision" under the responsibility of the French President and "determining France's vital interests" still under "sovereignty".
In a speech at the Ile Longue nuclear submarine base in Brittany, President Macron noted that the "geopolitically volatile and risky period" means that France, the only nuclear power of the EU, must strengthen its deterrence capabilities "in the face of many threats".
Upgrading France's arsenal is "essential," Macron said, saying he had decided to order the strengthening of the country's arsenal. It is estimated that France has 290 nuclear warheads, an unchanged figure since 1992, forming the 4th largest nuclear arsenal in the world, after Russia, the US and China.
He added that France will not stipulate the number of nuclear warheads currently in its arsenal as well as the number planned to be added, and reinforcement is necessary to maintain that capability. "This is not an arms race," he emphasized.
According to Mr. Macron, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, China's increasing military power and recent changes in US defense strategy are reasons why Europe must be more directly responsible for its own security.
The French President said that Paris could deploy Rafale fighter jets carrying nuclear warheads to partner countries such as Germany and Poland. Negotiations on strengthening cooperation have begun with the UK, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden and Denmark.
The new model will allow France's strategic deterrence capabilities to be "distributed throughout Europe" to "complex the calculations of opponents," Macron said. He noted that this doctrine could also include "the usual involvement of allied forces in our nuclear operations.
Bruno Tertrais - Deputy Director of the French FRS Research Institute - said that President Macron's speech is "the most important update to France's nuclear deterrence policy in 30 years" and is "a major step forward".
President Macron's long-planned speech was still maintained despite the escalating conflict in Iran because "violence in the Middle East shows the importance of France's strength and independence in dealing with increasing threats," a French official said.
Previously, President Macron proposed sharing France's nuclear arsenal, including at the Munich Security Conference last month.
Earlier this month, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed that there had been "preliminary talks" with French President Macron on the nuclear issue. France and Britain also adopted a joint statement in July on the coordination of the nuclear forces of the two countries.
