What the “advanced nuclear deterrent” introduced by Emmanuel Macron may change | EUROtoday

During the second speech he gave on the topic since his arrival on the head of the nation, Emmanuel Macron insisted on the European dimension of French nuclear deterrence. On March 2, 2026, from the bottom on Long Island, he introduced the creation of an “advanced” deterrent, bringing collectively eight European nations. “ The idea is (…) to have a much more global deterrent at the European level in the face of a still very concrete Russian threat and in the context of a disintegration of the transatlantic relationship », explains Héloïse Fayet, researcher at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI).

The Head of State also made announcements on the capability aspect of the French arsenal, in particular the increase in the number of nuclear warheads in the country. “ I think there is also a message dimension to the allies to explain to them: “Look, France takes its deterrence so seriously that we are going to increase the stock of French nuclear weapons.” This is one thing that hasn’t been finished because the Cold War. », According to the researcher. Another new function: the figures for capacities held by France will now be confidential.