France is prepared to begin discussions with other European countries about deploying French fighter jets armed with nuclear weapons on their territory – similar to what the US already does in certain countries. This was confirmed by President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday.
– The Americans have the bombs on planes in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Macron said in an interview with TF1. The US is believed to have around 50 nuclear weapons stored at the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey.
– We are ready to open this discussion. I will define the framework in a very specific way in the weeks and months to come.
Macron also mentioned three conditions for such a step: that France will not pay for the security of other countries, that it will not be at the expense of the country's own needs, and that the final decision will always rest with the President of the French Republic in his capacity as commander-in-chief.
France is the EU's only nuclear power, and since the war in Ukraine broke out, there has been growing debate about extending the French nuclear umbrella to include the Union's partners.
Poland, which like France is a key ally of Ukraine and a growing force within the EU, has already expressed a desire to be covered by the French deterrent.
– There has always been a European dimension in the consideration of what we call vital interests. We do not elaborate on this because ambiguity goes hand in hand with the deterrent, said Macron.
Concerns about nuclear war
Plans to deploy French nuclear weapons in other European countries have raised concerns among experts and security analysts. Critics argue that such a move risks further inflaming tensions between NATO and Russia and could be perceived as a strategic escalation rather than defensive protection.
In the long run, there are fears that it could contribute to increased militarization and raise the risk of misunderstandings or misjudgments that could, in the worst case, lead to a large-scale nuclear conflict in Europe with devastating consequences – something that several analysts have warned about since the war in Ukraine broke out.
Others are more positive and argue that European countries must face the harsh reality that the major powers already have extensive nuclear arsenals that they have no plans to give up, and that deterrence with their own nuclear weapons is not only necessary but also the most effective way to prevent future attacks.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, France currently has just under 300 nuclear weapons, compared to Russia's approximately 5,900 and the US's 5,300. However, it is emphasized that these are qualified estimates and that there is rarely any public data on countries' nuclear arsenals.
