This is the most concise summary of the French president’s address, during which he announced a shift in France’s nuclear deterrence strategy. The text is not a verbatim transcript: the remarks may have been reformulated, condensed, or rearranged for clarity, while fully preserving their meaning.
We have entered a period of major geopolitical upheaval. Conflicts around the world are intensifying. Nuclear-armed states are directly involved in these confrontations. The risk of crossing the nuclear threshold is increasing. To remain free, we must inspire fear. Anyone considering an attack on France must understand the price they would pay. That is why we are adapting our deterrence strategy.
France is launching the construction of a new submarine that will carry ballistic missiles. The number of nuclear warheads will be increased, and we will no longer publicly disclose the exact size of our arsenal. This is not about entering an arms race. Our nuclear doctrine retains its core principles: a strictly defensive purpose, rejection of nuclear war, and a clear distinction between conventional and nuclear weapons.
The deterrence strategy will now include a stronger European dimension: other European Union countries will be associated with it, and our strategic air forces will be deployed across the continent.
International rules are weakening. We must look at the situation with clear eyes: everyone is now allowing themselves greater latitude. Europeans have long relied on security frameworks defined by others. The current context demands a different approach. The next fifty years will be marked by the renewed centrality of nuclear power in global politics.
