Denmark has signed a strategic nuclear deterrence agreement with France, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced on March 2 in Copenhagen. French President Emmanuel Macron said France will expand its nuclear arsenal and pursue unprecedented cooperation with European partners, calling it a major doctrinal shift. Officials said the cooperation is intended to strengthen Europe's deterrence against an expected rise in the Russian military threat and will complement NATO; Denmark will not host nuclear weapons.
Denmark Signs Pact With France to Bolster Europe's Nuclear Deterrence as Macron Expands Arsenal
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen holds a press conference on European security in the Mirror Hall at the Prime Minister's Office in Copenhagen, Denmark March 2, 2026. Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix/via REUTERS
COPENHAGEN, March 2 (Reuters) - Denmark has signed an agreement with France on strategic nuclear deterrence, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Monday, marking a notable step toward deeper European defence cooperation.
France Announces Doctrinal Shift
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that France will expand its nuclear arsenal and strengthen its deterrent through what he described as unprecedented cooperation with European partners, calling the move a major change in nuclear doctrine.
"Stronger cooperation will contribute to strengthening Europe's deterrence capability," Frederiksen told journalists. "Unfortunately, this is necessary because the military threat from Russia is expected to increase in the coming years."
Frederiksen emphasized that the strategic cooperation with France is intended to complement — not replace — deterrence arrangements within NATO. Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen added that the agreement does not include stationing nuclear weapons on Danish territory.
The Danish government did not provide detailed operational arrangements in its initial announcement. The move reflects growing concerns among European governments about regional security and steps to strengthen collective defence capabilities.
(Reporting by Louise Rasmussen; Editing by Stine Jacobsen)
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