EditFrance and Germany launch cooperation group on nuclear deterrence
Macron unveiled plans to increase the number of French nuclear warheads and expressed readiness to deploy nuclear weapons in allied European countries
France and Germany have established a joint nuclear coordination group to cooperate on deterrence issues, marking a new phase in European discussions on strategic security.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on X the initiative was agreed with French President Emmanuel Macron and that both leaders are preparing “concrete steps” before the end of the year.
“Emmanuel Macron and I have established a nuclear steering group in which we coordinate on deterrence issues,” Merz said, adding that Germany intends to take part in French nuclear exercises in a conventional capacity. According to the chancellor, the two governments aim to move from political dialogue to practical cooperation within months.
The announcement follows a broader shift in France’s nuclear posture. On 2 March, Macron – leader of the only nuclear power within the European Union, unveiled plans to increase the number of French nuclear warheads and expressed readiness to deploy nuclear weapons in allied European countries.
In a speech on Ile Longue base near the port of Brest, reported by the French media, Macron said it was his responsibility to ensure that “our deterrence maintains and continues to maintain its destructive power in a dangerous, volatile and unstable environment”.
“That is why I have ordered an increase in the number of nuclear warheads in our arsenal,” the French president stated.
He also announced that France would no longer publish digital data on the size of its nuclear arsenal. “To put an end to any speculation, we will no longer report the numbers of our nuclear arsenal, unlike what may have been the case in the past,” Macron said.
“To be free, you need to command respect, and to command respect, you need to be strong,” he added, arguing that the reinforcement of France’s arsenal reflects that principle.
Macron further declared that France would be able to provide European allies with strategic resources linked to nuclear deterrence “for deployment as circumstances require”. Speaking to French media, he cited Germany and the United Kingdom – the only other European country with nuclear forces – as well as the Netherlands and Poland. Cooperation, he said, would begin with joint exercises.
Writing on X, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk referenced the decision, saying: “We are arming up together with our friends so that our enemies will never dare to attack us.”
The French president described this shift as the beginning of a new stage in French doctrine. “Today, a new phase of French deterrence could begin. We are embarking on the path of what I would call ‘extended deterrence’,” he said, adding that the approach would include a “European dimension”.
At the same time, Macron stressed that the ultimate authority over France’s nuclear forces would remain strictly national. “There will be no joint adoption of the final decision, no joint planning, no joint implementation,” he said. Under the French Constitution, responsibility for nuclear deterrence lies exclusively with the President of the Republic.
“There will also be no joint definition of vital interests, which will remain a matter of sovereign judgment of our country,” Macron clarified.
According to Macron, eight European countries have agreed to participate in discussions on the “extended deterrence” framework proposed by France: the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden and Denmark.
Described by officials as the most significant shift in French strategic thinking since 1960, Macron’s concept of “advanced deterrence” nevertheless preserves the core principles set out under Charles de Gaulle. No explicit nuclear “guarantee” will be offered to partner countries, and the French president will retain sole authority over any decision to use nuclear weapons. The objective remains to deter adversaries by signalling that any attack on France would carry an unbearable cost.
While France has traditionally maintained ambiguity around its “vital interests”, recent governments have hinted these may extend to Europe. Macron’s initiative gives that idea clearer contours, without defining red lines. Paris and Berlin have pledged closer cooperation, complementing – not replacing, NATO’s nuclear deterrent.
At the same time, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby has stated that Washington intends to continue providing Europe with its “nuclear umbrella”.
Sources: European Pravda, Le Monde, BBC, France24, Euronews
Caption: French President Emmanuel Macron reviews the troops during his visit to the nuclear submarine navy base of Ile Longue in Crozon, France, 2 March 2026. EPA/YOAN VALAT / POOL
Updated: March 3, 2026 - 06:27
