French president Emmanuel Macron announced in a speech in a Brittany nuclear submarine base on Monday that France would increase its estimated 290 nuclear warheads and would begin a new strategy of nuclear co-operation with eight other European countries. Addressing naval officers, Macron announced that the next 50 years would be “an era of nuclear weapons” and that France would increase its number of nuclear warheads. Macron also announced talks had begun with eight European countries that may host French nuclear assets, and whose militaries could take part in French “nuclear activities”. Will French nuclear weapons be placed across Europe? The US keeps nuclear weapons in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Turkey as part of a shared strategy to deter attacks.

Source: The Irish Times March 03, 2026 20:32 UTC