Poland to Join France's Nuclear Deterrent Amid Threat from Russia — Politico
French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk discussed an unprecedented expansion of defense cooperation during their meeting in Gdańsk.
This was reported by Politico.
The key topic of the talks was the transition to the practical phase of nuclear deterrence within the European Union.
The French leader announced a historic shift in the security strategy of the continuum, dubbed the “new phase of French deterrence.”
This initiative involves actively engaging European allies in nuclear exercises, effectively extending Paris’s “nuclear umbrella” to other EU countries.
Poland has officially confirmed its accession to the “forward deterrence” group, which also includes Germany, Sweden, and a number of other states.
Donald Tusk emphasized that this step is a necessary response to current threats, noting: “We live in a world where nuclear deterrence capabilities are needed.”
During the press conference, the sensitive issue of potentially stationing French Rafale fighter jets—capable of carrying nuclear bombs—at Polish airfields was also discussed.
Prime Minister Tusk openly admitted that this is not his “dream,” but added that he understands the need to strengthen European sovereignty.
Emmanuel Macron assured that France is ready to discuss specific options for stationing aircraft in the coming months.
Importantly, despite the expansion of cooperation, Paris reserves the exclusive right to make the final decision on the use of nuclear weapons.
In addition to the nuclear issue, the leaders reached agreements on the protection of Poland’s eastern borders, particularly the sections bordering Belarus and the Kaliningrad Oblast of the Russian Federation.
France may join in guarding the strategic Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport, which serves as the main logistics hub for aid to Ukraine.
Poland scrambled fighter jets in response to a large-scale Russian missile attack on Ukraine
Poland supported the establishment of a special tribunal regarding the aggression against Ukraine
