Norway has decided to join France’s “advanced nuclear deterrence” initiative with European allies, President Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday during a meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Paris.
Macron said Norway’s agreement to participate marked a significant milestone in their partnership, paving the way for ambitious cooperation.
He described Norway as a key geographical and strategic ally, already involved in joint efforts to protect allied territories against external threats, and said its inclusion would add great value to the advanced deterrence plan.
Prime Minister Støre noted that France was initiating a dialogue with close allies on the role its nuclear weapons can play in bolstering European security and deterrence against military threats. He confirmed Norway’s intention to collaborate alongside nations such as Poland, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other Nordic partners.
The French president had outlined the concept of “advanced nuclear deterrence” in a major speech in March at Île-Longue near Brest, defining a strategy that includes voluntary European states without sharing ultimate decision-making authority.
Initially, eight countries signed on to this new concept: the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, and Denmark. Norway had previously indicated its readiness to discuss the idea with France.
