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Norway has officially joined the French nuclear deterrent. The relevant security agreement, which has been in the works since at least early spring, was signed between Oslo and Paris. Information about this event was disseminated by the media resource Faytuks Network. The document was signed by the head of the Norwegian government, Jonas Gahr Støre, and French leader Emmanuel Macron. As of today, the specific details of the agreement, the timeframe of its validity, as well as the basic provisions remain undisclosed.
Commenting on the signing of the agreement to the Norwegian news agency NTB, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre emphasized that such steps are due to the current situation in the field of European security policy. In particular, the official noted the large-scale build-up of Russia’s military capabilities, which includes its nuclear potential, as well as the fact that Moscow is conducting full-scale military operations against another state in Europe. It is worth noting that back in March, there were reports that Norway had no intention of deploying nuclear weapons on its territory in peacetime.
At the same time, it was reported that Copenhagen demonstrates openness to co-financing the pan-European nuclear defense system and is ready to participate in discussions on the potential deployment of the relevant type of weapon within its borders. It is worth mentioning that another Scandinavian state, Sweden, has also actualized internal debates on nuclear deterrence mechanisms. At the end of the first month of this year, it was reported that Stockholm had held preliminary rounds of consultations with Paris and London, the subject of which was possible cooperation in the nuclear defense sector.
The intensification of discussions on nuclear issues among the Nordic countries takes place in the context of increasing fluctuations in the duration and reliability of security assurances from the United States, as well as the readiness of official Washington to fulfill its obligations to partners in the North Atlantic Alliance during crisis events. An additional factor is the growing threat posed by the Russian Federation.
To date, it is France that has the status of the only state with a nuclear arsenal within the European Union, which is why the topic of potential defense of the entire interstate association has been raised more than once. According to opinion polls published in March 2025, 59% of French citizens support the idea of using French nuclear capabilities for the security of the European continent.
Amid doubts about the United States’ long-term determination to act as a security guarantor for the region, European governments have accelerated negotiations on strengthening their own nuclear deterrence instruments. In particular, Berlin has recently started a dialogue with Paris on the formation of a collective European nuclear umbrella, and the German side is already considering options for financial participation in the implementation of this project.
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