Polish President Andrzej Duda suggested that France’s nuclear arsenal could play a key role in strengthening Poland’s defences, according to Politico.
His comments, published on Friday, come as Warsaw explores multiple options to bolster its security. Duda, who has previously advocated for hosting US nuclear weapons on Polish soil, stated that French warheads could provide an additional layer of deterrence.
I believe we can accept both solutions. These two ideas are neither contradictory nor mutually exclusive.
French President Emmanuel Macron floated the idea of extending France’s nuclear deterrent to European allies, particularly as concerns grow over the war in Ukraine. France, with an estimated 300 nuclear warheads, is the only EU country possessing such weapons and one of just three NATO members–alongside the US and UK–with a nuclear arsenal. Poland and Denmark have already signalled interest in Macron’s proposal.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a political rival of Duda, confirmed in March that Warsaw was engaged in serious discussions with Paris. The talks have gained urgency following warnings that the second Trump presidency could weaken US security commitments to Europe.
Facing an alleged volatile security environment, Poland has significantly expanded its conventional forces, now boasting the EU’s largest standing army at 200,000 troops. The country aims to further grow its military to 500,000 personnel in the coming years.
