France and Britain sealed a nuclear agreement Thursday, marking a major shift in European defense amid concerns over Washington’s diminishing role in global security.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed coordinating their independent nuclear arsenals under the “Northward declaration.” Starmer emphasized, “From today, our adversaries will know that any extreme threat to this continent would prompt a response from our two nations.”
The nuclear agreement arrives as U.S. political turmoil and wavering foreign policy leadership have raised doubts in European capitals. With this new cooperation, Paris and London are taking matters into their own hands to defend Western values and respond to mounting threats.
Macron echoed that sentiment, saying, “The decision is that we don’t exclude the coordination of our respective deterrents. It’s a message that our partners and adversaries must hear.” He noted both countries would maintain strategic autonomy, but reinforced shared resolve amid rising global instability.
France already maintains 290 nuclear warheads and spent approximately €5.6 billion ($6 billion) annually on its nuclear force. Britain, though reliant on U.S. missile technology, brands its program as “operationally independent.”
In a joint press appearance, Macron and Starmer framed the pact as a concrete step to stabilize Europe’s defense posture while Washington appears increasingly inward-focused. Starmer called the deal “truly historic.”
