President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that France will increase its nuclear warheads and cooperate with eight European countries to strengthen continental security. Speaking from the Ile Longue submarine base, Macron cited multiple threats and growing concern over Washington’s wavering commitment to NATO, amid US and Israeli attacks on Iran that risk destabilizing the Middle East.
Macron announced the gradual implementation of an “advanced deterrence” plan, emphasizing the need to upgrade France’s arsenal while maintaining national sovereignty. He said the number of nuclear warheads would be increased and the country’s nuclear doctrine would be modernized to address strategic threats. France currently holds an estimated 290 nuclear warheads, the world’s fourth-largest stockpile.
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Eight European countries—including Germany, Britain, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, and Denmark—agreed to participate in the scheme. Macron said these nations could host French strategic air forces, allowing deployment across the continent to complicate potential adversaries’ calculations. The plan may also include conventional participation of allied forces in nuclear exercises.
The announcement comes as Russia’s war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, raising concerns among NATO members about alliance cohesion. Macron stressed that Europe must take responsibility for its own security, particularly if key allies like the United States demonstrate uncertainty in commitments.
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France’s Ile Longue base houses four ballistic missile submarines—Le Triomphant, Le Temeraire, Le Vigilant, and Le Terrible—with at least one at sea at all times to maintain continuous nuclear deterrence. Analysts say Macron’s plan signals a more assertive European defense posture in response to global instability.