„We really trust the United States (US) and, of course, we can simply compare the size of our arsenals, say, in terms of technology and capabilities. So, France, the US, and other countries friendly to us are strengthening their deterrence capabilities. It is welcome that France sees the need to increase deterrence in Europe. This means greater security for Lithuania,“ the minister told reporters on Thursday.
As announced, French President Macron said on Monday that his country is increasing the number of nuclear warheads it has. Unlike before, France will no longer disclose information about the number of its nuclear weapons.
He also said that eight European countries had agreed to join the new program. Among them are Germany, Great Britain, and Poland. Countries participating in this program could host France's „strategic air forces.“
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that his country is negotiating with France on this matter.
After the United Kingdom (UK) left the EU in 2020, France is the only nuclear power in the Community.
According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), France has 290 of the approximately 12,200 nuclear weapons that exist worldwide, making it the fourth largest nuclear power after Russia, the United States, and China.
The country has four nuclear-armed submarines capable of launching missiles with nuclear warheads with a range of about 10,000 kilometres.
France can also use nuclear weapons from the air: its Rafale fighter jets can launch about 50 of the country's cruise missiles with nuclear warheads. The official range of the latter is about 500 kilometres.