France and 10 European countries plan to deploy nuclear-capable French jets to deter Russia, WSJ reports

A French Rafale fighter jet with ASMP-A missiles is part of a new nuclear deterrence framework being established by France and 10 other European countries to deter Russia, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The initiative, dubbed "forward deterrence" by President Emmanuel Macron, was unveiled in March 2026. It involves deploying nuclear-capable French Rafale fighter jets to other European nations, as well as creating a joint system for early warning and intelligence sharing.

The participating countries include the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Greece, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. The three Baltic states and Italy have not joined the project, with Finland expressing interest but not wishing to host nuclear weapons on its soil in peacetime. French officials believe the new deterrent is more credible as it reflects the European neighbors' security concerns to Paris more than those of Washington.

European officials also stress that the new system is meant to complement, rather than replace, the American "nuclear umbrella" and to create further strategic uncertainty for Russia. French ASMP-A cruise missiles carried by Rafale fighters are considered more effective in modern warfare than the American B-61 nuclear bombs, which were developed in the 1960s and are limited by advances in Russian air defenses.

France plans to resume producing nuclear weapons for the first time in decades, currently possessing around 290 nuclear warheads, though it will no longer disclose information about its arsenal. French defense officials have been holding bilateral talks with their partners, setting up 10 separate groups for these discussions.