Bangkok: Norway is preparing to join France's 'nuclear shadow'. French President Emmanuel Macron and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Garster jointly announced plans to open negotiations for Norway to join France's "nuclear umbrella." This move reflects Europe's growing concerns about its dependence on the United States for security and represents a significant shift for Norway, which has long relied solely on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United States, towards closer defense cooperation within the European region amid escalating tensions with Russia.
According to Thai News Agency, the agreement would allow Norway to participate in France's nuclear deterrence system on the front lines, enabling joint strategic planning and the creation of a more self-reliant strategic power in Europe. French leaders described this as a principle of mutual assistance. However, the Norwegian Prime Minister affirmed that the country's primary deterrence force would remain reliant on NATO and the United States, with France's nuclear capabilities serving as a crucial support, and that no nuclear weapons would be deployed in Norway at normal times.
Norway is the latest country to be granted French nuclear protection, following Poland and Lithuania. This practically means that if these countries are attacked, France could retaliate with nuclear measures. Norway, a Nordic country with a population of approximately 5.6 million, is a NATO member but not a member of the European Union, and shares an Arctic border with Russia.