France will allow the deployment of its aircraft carrying nuclear weapons in allied countries temporarily

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday that his country will allow the deployment of its aircraft carrying nuclear weapons in allied countries temporarily, as part of a new nuclear strategy.

Macron said that the new status “will include the temporary deployment of elements of our strategic air forces in allied countries,” but he made clear that there will be no sharing of decision-making with any other country regarding the use of nuclear weapons.

He added that talks on such arrangements have begun with Britain, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden and Denmark.

The French President announced during statements at a military base hosting French ballistic missile submarines in the city of L’Ile Long, northwestern France, that his country will increase the number of its nuclear warheads from its current level of less than 300 nuclear warheads, without specifying the number to which it will be increased.

This will be the first time France has increased its nuclear arsenal since 1992.