France Plans to Increase Nuclear Warheads

As his presidency draws to a close, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday that his country would bolster its nuclear arsenal and work with eight European nations to safeguard the continent.

Following US and Israeli attacks on Iran in a campaign that could destabilize the Middle East, he gave a speech at France’s Ile Longue nuclear submarine station.

As Russia’s war against Ukraine enters its fifth year and NATO allies are concerned about Washington’s faltering commitment to Europe, Macron revised France’s nuclear strategy.

“We must strengthen our nuclear deterrent in the face of multiple threats, and we must consider our deterrence strategy deep within the European continent, with full respect for our sovereignty,” Macron stated.

He announced “the gradual implementation of what I would call advanced deterrence”.

As France’s partners worry that a potential victory by Marine Le Pen’s euroskeptic far-right National Rally party in the upcoming presidential election could jeopardize European collaboration, Macron promised a number of tangible steps to strengthen Europe’s security.

“An upgrade of our arsenal is essential,” Macron added. “That’s why I ordered an increase in the number of nuclear warheads in our arsenal.”

However, Macron stated that France will no longer be sharing information on its nuclear arsenal.

With an estimated 290 warheads, France has the fourth-largest nuclear arsenal in the world. The only other nuclear power in Europe is Britain, which is no longer a part of the EU.

In contrast, each of the two major atomic powers in the world—the United States and Russia—has thousands of nuclear warheads.