President Emmanuel Macron said France will increase its number of nuclear weapons in an effort to bolster Europe’s atomic deterrent as US security commitments to the continent waver.
“A strengthening of our arsenal is indispensable,” Macron said in a speech at the Ile Longue submarine base in Brittany Monday. He added that the US will play a key role in European defense, but warned that the recent recent rhetoric out of Washington shows that Europe needs to take a bigger role in its own defense.
The address comes as European governments are tackling the most challenging security environment since the Cold War. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its fifth year, has shattered assumptions about continental stability. And President Donald Trump has raised questions about America’s commitment to NATO and Europe.
I understand how problematic and unnecessary nuclear buildup is
But if everyone else (read as major powers) is doing it so should Europe, not least because the psychological component of nuclear deterrent is very important
Willing-Donut6834 on
Macron has just named the partner countries, which are, if I remember correctly, the UK, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Greece, Sweden and Denmark. All these are now nuclear powers, in a sense. 🇨🇵❤🇪🇺
hoopjoness on
God terrified of the rest of the year
Aggressive-Kitchen18 on
Italy should get a nuclear bomb
Caesar171 on
Like it or not, nukes give you a seat at the table and not having them simply does not. We’ve seen that play out with Iran. You don’t see Trump threatening to invade North Korea.
As the prime minister of Canada put it, you’re either at the dinner table or on the menu
Ggood_Golly on
Very good, France. ✊🏻😌🇫🇷🇪🇺
Batmanbacon on
In 2026, I am now happy that a country is extending its nuclear arsenal, because they would protect us from the US.
Can we get someone to photoshop a gigachad Macron?
Artistic_Concern_33 on
lol why not the Baltics ?
PsyX99 on
We don’t deserve this planet anymore…
Significant_Swing_76 on
While good news, it doesn’t change the fact that a French nuclear umbrella is only one election away from disappearing.
Basileus2 on
Excellent!
tree_boom on
A good bit more of the speech has been published now. It looks like France mirroring the UKs change of stance from a few years back and increasing it’s stockpile whilst removing the transparency on numbers it used to field. The explicit mention of a restarting of Lithium production – Lithium being a major component in the fusion stage of thermonuclear weapons – implies to me a very large planned increase, as otherwise one would think their existing stocks would be sufficient to return to at least Cold war levels. The coordination with non nuclear allies on conventional support seems like an excellent idea to me, as does coordination with the UKs nuclear forces.
Slightly disappointed that they have not announced a 5th SSBN, it was always a pipe dream but it would have been fantastic. Also, I am somewhat leery of staying out of NATO Nuclear Planning Group. Whilst I understand the reasoning, I think it’d be better to operate a joint plan, even if that meant a sub-plan that was UK / France only.
TemuBoyfriend on
How will the french even afford this? The 3rd world they brought in is neither cheap nor prosuctive.
Any-Original-6113 on
That’s a strong statement. Let’s wait and see what consequences it brings.
Econ_Orc on
Before Trump and his Greenland nonsense Denmark would not have been part of a nuclear protection program without the US.
19 commenti
*Ania Nussbaum and Max Ramsay for Bloomberg News*
President Emmanuel Macron said France will increase its number of nuclear weapons in an effort to bolster Europe’s atomic deterrent as US security commitments to the continent waver.
“A strengthening of our arsenal is indispensable,” Macron said in a speech at the Ile Longue submarine base in Brittany Monday. He added that the US will play a key role in European defense, but warned that the recent recent rhetoric out of Washington shows that Europe needs to take a bigger role in its own defense.
The address comes as European governments are tackling the most challenging security environment since the Cold War. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its fifth year, has shattered assumptions about continental stability. And President Donald Trump has raised questions about America’s commitment to NATO and Europe.
[Read the full story here.](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-02/france-to-increase-nuclear-arsenal-with-us-commitments-in-doubt?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc3MjQ2MjA0MiwiZXhwIjoxNzczMDY2ODQyLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUQjlZTkNLR0lGUjEwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJEMzU0MUJFQjhBQUY0QkUwQkFBOUQzNkI3QjlCRjI4OCJ9.BSNsN3MM3Gff56KmVkOAiZbcY8fVwmbBdIro6nonfjA)
I understand how problematic and unnecessary nuclear buildup is
But if everyone else (read as major powers) is doing it so should Europe, not least because the psychological component of nuclear deterrent is very important
Macron has just named the partner countries, which are, if I remember correctly, the UK, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Greece, Sweden and Denmark. All these are now nuclear powers, in a sense. 🇨🇵❤🇪🇺
God terrified of the rest of the year
Italy should get a nuclear bomb
Like it or not, nukes give you a seat at the table and not having them simply does not. We’ve seen that play out with Iran. You don’t see Trump threatening to invade North Korea.
As the prime minister of Canada put it, you’re either at the dinner table or on the menu
Very good, France. ✊🏻😌🇫🇷🇪🇺
In 2026, I am now happy that a country is extending its nuclear arsenal, because they would protect us from the US.
Fucking hell.
Much better source here:
[‘To be free, we have to be feared,’ Macron says in keynote nuclear speech](https://www.france24.com/en/france/20260302-macron-unveils-france-nuclear-strategy-eu-counter-russian-aggression-wavering-us)
Can we get someone to photoshop a gigachad Macron?
lol why not the Baltics ?
We don’t deserve this planet anymore…
While good news, it doesn’t change the fact that a French nuclear umbrella is only one election away from disappearing.
Excellent!
A good bit more of the speech has been published now. It looks like France mirroring the UKs change of stance from a few years back and increasing it’s stockpile whilst removing the transparency on numbers it used to field. The explicit mention of a restarting of Lithium production – Lithium being a major component in the fusion stage of thermonuclear weapons – implies to me a very large planned increase, as otherwise one would think their existing stocks would be sufficient to return to at least Cold war levels. The coordination with non nuclear allies on conventional support seems like an excellent idea to me, as does coordination with the UKs nuclear forces.
Slightly disappointed that they have not announced a 5th SSBN, it was always a pipe dream but it would have been fantastic. Also, I am somewhat leery of staying out of NATO Nuclear Planning Group. Whilst I understand the reasoning, I think it’d be better to operate a joint plan, even if that meant a sub-plan that was UK / France only.
How will the french even afford this? The 3rd world they brought in is neither cheap nor prosuctive.
That’s a strong statement. Let’s wait and see what consequences it brings.
Before Trump and his Greenland nonsense Denmark would not have been part of a nuclear protection program without the US.
Idk, US looks pretty committed to me.