Europe

Home page

Europe

Macron says France will increase its nuclear warheads for the first time in decades

02 March 2026 18:52 (UTC +04:00)

French President Emmanuel Macron announced Monday that France will increase its number of nuclear warheads from the current level of below 300, but did not give a figure for the increase. It will be the first time France increases its nuclear arsenal since at least 1992, APA reports, citing Associated Press,

“I have decided to increase the numbers of warheads of our arsenal,” Macron said at a military base at L’Ile Longue in northwestern France that hosts the country’s ballistic missile submarines. “My responsibility is to ensure that our deterrence maintains — and will maintain in the future — its assured destructive power,” Macron said.

Macron’s speech was aimed at spelling out how French nuclear weapons fit into Europe’s security amid concerns raised on the continent by recurring tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump.

European leaders have voiced growing doubts about U.S. commitments to help defend Europe under the so-called nuclear umbrella, a policy long intended to ensure that allies — particularly NATO members — would be protected by American nuclear forces in the event of a threat.