Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that nuclear-armed fighter jets will be sent to an airbase near France’s German border by 2035 marks a significant shift in France’s military strategy. This move is seen as a willingness to extend France’s deterrent to protect Berlin from Russia, amid growing concerns over European defense.
Macron’s speech at the Luxeuil-les-Bains base emphasized France’s commitment to defense, particularly in light of Donald Trump’s controversial ceasefire talks with Vladimir Putin without Ukraine. The French president also announced plans to purchase more Rafale warplanes, which will be deployed at the Luxeuil-les-Bains base.
The base, located near the German border, will undergo significant modernization, with an investment of nearly €1.5 billion. By 2035, it will become the first base to receive the next version of the Rafale and its hypersonic nuclear missile. This development will bolster France’s nuclear deterrence and reinforce its role in protecting European interests.
Macron’s announcement comes amid growing concerns over European defense, particularly in light of Trump’s negotiations with Russia without European involvement. The US president’s apparent adoption of Kremlin talking points has exacerbated European fears over the country’s reliability and the continent’s dependence on US arms.
In contrast, France’s deterrent is truly independent, and Macron has been urging Europe to build its ability to act independently of Washington since Trump’s first term in office. France has offered its nuclear shield to EU allies, sparking fury at the Kremlin, which compared Macron to Napoleon.
Germany’s incoming Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has expressed interest in engaging with France on nuclear security and has called for Europe to achieve “real independence” from the US. Merz has secured parliamentary backing for an unprecedented debt package to invest in Germany’s military and infrastructure, which has been welcomed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as a “very clear message to Europe that Germany is determined to invest massively in defence”.
