Greece is among the European countries interested in hosting French nuclear weapons as it was revealed by President Emmanuel Macron.
In a speech on Monday, Macron announced that France will increase its nuclear arsenal and, for the first time, allow the temporary deployment of its nuclear-armed aircraft to EU allied countries, in a new strategy aimed at strengthening Europe’s independence.
He said that the countries interested in temporary hosting nuclear deployment throughout Europe include: Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, Denmark. he said he was in talks with the UK as well.
Macron’s part of speech referring to partners, translated in Greek.
Macron’s speech was planned long before the most recent outbreak of war in Iran, the Associated Press reported.
Macron outlined how French nuclear weapons fit into the security of Europe as leaders there express concerns over recurring tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
France has been the only nuclear power in the European Union since Britain’s exit from the bloc in 2020.
Macron said the new posture, which he called “forward deterrence,” could “provide for the temporary deployment of elements of our strategic air forces to allied countries,” but said there would be no sharing of decision-making with any other nation regarding the use of the nuclear weapons.
This map shows the countries that Macron revealed today are in talks to host French nuclear weapons. This is a big part of the European strategy to become more independent from the US.
*thumbnail picture: archive from 2021
