Norway will open talks with France on joining its nuclear umbrella, French President Emmanuel Macron and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said on May 27, reflecting growing European concerns about relying on the United States for security.
The move signals a shift by Norway, long a staunch Atlanticist that has relied heavily on NATO and the U.S. nuclear umbrella, towards closer defence cooperation within Europe.
Stoere said Norway’s primary deterrence would remain the NATO alliance and the United States, but described France’s nuclear capabilities as “an important contribution” to the alliance’s overall posture.
“France’s capabilities are an important contribution to NATO’s deterrence posture, which is important for us,” Stoere said.
Under the plan, Norway would take part in what France calls “forward nuclear deterrence”, under which European partners are more closely involved in French strategic thinking on nuclear defence.
“This agreement establishes a principle of mutual assistance between our two countries,” Macron said, adding that deeper cooperation would support Europe’s ambitions for greater strategic autonomy.
The initiative comes as European countries seek to strengthen their own defence capabilities amid doubts about long-term U.S. commitments and heightened tensions with Russia.
In March, France to extend the protection of its nuclear umbrella to other European countries which, in practice, means that an attack on a country could trigger a French nuclear response.
Norway becomes the latest country to receive France’s nuclear protection, after Poland and Lithuania, which also share borders with Russia.
