Europe Weber calls for talks on European nuclear umbrella
In view of the crisis in relations between the USA and Europe, EPP leader Manfred Weber has called on the EU heads of state and government to start concrete talks on a European nuclear umbrella. French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal to make the French nuclear arsenal available for this purpose was a "generous offer", especially in light of the "new developments in the USA", he said in Zagreb after a top-level meeting of the European People's Party, which brings together Europe's conservative parties.
31.01.2026, 14:47
SDA
"That is why I am absolutely in favour of the heads of state and government really taking up this offer, sitting down together and then considering how this option of French nuclear weapons can be used for European security," emphasized Deputy CSU Chairman Weber. "I therefore very much welcome Macron's initiative and also all those who are now contributing to this discussion. This is necessary."
Proposal comes from 2020
Macron had already offered Germany and other EU partners talks on European cooperation on nuclear deterrence in 2020 during US President Donald Trump's first term in office. However, it met with just as little response from then Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) as it did from her successor Olaf Scholz (SPD). Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), on the other hand, had already declared his willingness to discuss this during the election campaign and reiterated this during his inaugural visit to Paris as Federal Chancellor in May.
US arsenal significantly larger than French arsenal
France and the UK, which is no longer a member of the EU, are the only two European countries to possess nuclear weapons. According to estimates by the peace research institute Sipri, the USA has 1,770 operational nuclear weapons and France has 280.
NATO's nuclear deterrent is currently based on US nuclear weapons, of which around 100 are still estimated to be stationed in Europe - some of them at Büchel Air Base in the Eifel region. In an emergency, they are to be deployed by Bundeswehr fighter jets. US nuclear bombs are also said to still be stationed in Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey. There is no official information on this.
