French President Emmanuel Macron has announced plans for joint nuclear‑military exercises with Germany. “Germany is a key partner” he said in a foundational speech at the Ile Longue naval base on Monday, underscoring the importance of nuclear deterrence. He added that the first steps of cooperation would begin later this year, potentially involving visits to strategic sites and joint drills.
Macron also said he intends to expand France’s nuclear arsenal. “To be free one must be feared” he remarked. However, he declined to release new figures for the nuclear stockpile, the president of the European Union’s sole nuclear‑armed nation.
