Europe Rallies Behind Macron's Push for Dialogue on Nuclear Shield
Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Belgium, and the Netherlands all voiced backing for the initiative, which Macron unveiled earlier that day when he confirmed France would grow its nuclear warhead stockpile and stop publicly disclosing its size.
Macron framed the expansion as an essential response to deteriorating global security — not a provocation. "The advanced deterrence we propose is a distinct effort, with its own intrinsic value, and fully complementary to NATO at both the strategic and technical levels," he said, emphasizing that NATO remains the cornerstone of European security.
Germany emerged as a central pillar of the plan. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced the creation of a bilateral nuclear steering group with France to align on deterrence strategy, with Berlin set to participate in French nuclear exercises as early as this year.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen confirmed Copenhagen's participation through joint exercises, updated air surveillance, and shared training, though she was clear that Denmark would not host French nuclear weapons, according to a broadcaster. "It's also about getting to the table and thus gaining increased access to information and strategic decisions," she added.
Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen reinforced that position, drawing a firm line between strategic cooperation and physical weapon deployment on Danish soil.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson acknowledged the dialogue remains nascent but signaled openness, per a broadcaster. "We have said that we would like to participate in such a dialogue, which could be beneficial for security in our part of the world," he said, reiterating that Sweden has no plans to acquire nuclear weapons or allow them on its territory.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk voiced his endorsement publicly on X, the US social media platform, confirming active talks with Paris and fellow European allies. "We are arming up together with our friends so that our enemies will never dare to attack us," he wrote.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever also backed Macron's framework, calling it a meaningful advance toward a stronger European security architecture.
In the Netherlands, Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen and Defense Minister Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius jointly confirmed Dutch engagement, informing parliament in a written statement: "The French offer to deepen the dialogue on this issue with European partners fits in with this goal, and the cabinet considers it desirable to accept this offer," the ministers wrote in a joint letter to parliament.
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