Ready to begin talks on French nuclear weapons in European countries: Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron said that France was “ready to open” discussions about stationing France’s nuclear weapons in other European countries.

French President Emmanuel Macron, on Tuesday (May 13, 2025), said that France was “ready to open” discussions about stationing France’s nuclear weapons in other European countries. Mr Macron’s comments come as Europeans seek to bolster their defences , especially against Russia and as the Trump administration has signalled that the U.S. will no longer underwrite European security.

Asked during a television interview to respond to Polish President Andrzej Duda’s remarks in April that Poland would like to host both American and French nuclear weapons on its soil, Mr Macron said his country was “ready to open this discussion”.

The framework for deployment of nuclear weapons would be discussed in the weeks and months ahead, subject to conditions, Mr Macron said, in a lengthy discussion with television channel TF1 on Tuesday (May 14, 2025) evening.

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“Let’s be clear, France will not pay for the security of others. It can be a European effort or the effort of each nation, ” Mr Macron said, enlisting the first of three conditions.

Second, the transfer of nuclear bombs  to other countries would not come at the expense of France’s own deterrence, according to Mr Macron. Finally, the French President would be ultimately in charge of whether they could be used, he said.

The President indicated that the discussions had already begun.