Overview

• President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed his willingness to discuss stationing French nuclear weapons in European countries under specific conditions.
• France would retain full operational control over its nuclear arsenal, and host nations would not bear any financial burden for deployment.
• Macron's proposal aims to complement, not replace, the U.S. nuclear guarantee already in place through NATO's sharing arrangements.
• Germany, Poland, Denmark, and Lithuania have expressed interest in hosting French nuclear weapons, citing concerns over Russian aggression.
• France remains the EU's sole independent nuclear power, with approximately 280 warheads, and seeks to strengthen European defense autonomy while maintaining NATO cohesion.