France has announced plans to increase the number of nuclear warheads in its arsenal, with President Emmanuel Macron declaring that the country will no longer publicly disclose the size of its stockpile. He framed the move as essential to national independence and deterrence, saying that strength is necessary to ensure freedom. France remains the only nuclear-armed nation in the European Union and maintains a deterrent separate from the United States-led nuclear umbrella.

The shift comes as Europe confronts mounting security pressures, including Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and repeated nuclear threats from Moscow. Concerns have also grown in several European capitals about the long-term reliability of security guarantees from the United States, particularly as Washington manages multiple global crises, including military strikes against Iran.

Poland has signaled interest in deeper nuclear cooperation and potentially developing its own capabilities in the future, despite being a signatory to the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. Polish leaders confirmed discussions with France about closer coordination, as several European governments accelerate defense spending and renew calls for greater strategic autonomy in response to an increasingly unstable global security environment.