Overview

• Emmanuel Macron confirmed readiness to hold discussions on deploying French nuclear-armed aircraft in allied European countries.
• France has stipulated conditions for any deployment, including cost-sharing by host nations, retention of French capabilities, and exclusive launch authority for the French president.
• Poland has formally expressed interest in hosting French nuclear weapons, citing security concerns over potential U.S. withdrawal from Europe.
• Macron plans to establish a framework for these negotiations in the coming weeks, signaling a shift toward European nuclear autonomy post-Brexit.
• France, the EU’s sole nuclear power, possesses 290 nuclear warheads, making it the fourth largest nuclear power globally, according to SIPRI.