France to Strengthen Nuclear Arsenal Amid Rising Global Tensions

France currently has about 290 nuclear warheads and is modernizing its deterrence systems.
France to Strengthen Nuclear Arsenal Amid Rising Global Tensions
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a media conference at the European Union Summit in Brussels, Belgium, on Dec. 19, 2025. Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP
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France will expand its nuclear arsenal and strengthen its deterrence strategy, French President Emmanuel Macron said on March 2, warning that growing geopolitical tensions are raising the risk of conflicts escalating to the nuclear level.

Speaking from the Île Longue submarine base in Brittany, Macron said the world was entering a period of heightened instability that required a stronger French nuclear posture.

Evgenia Filimianova
Evgenia Filimianova
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Evgenia Filimianova is a UK-based journalist covering a wide range of international stories, with a particular interest in foreign policy, economy, and UK politics.