Finland joins the nuclear deterrence initiative proposed by France

Finland has decided to join the advanced nuclear deterrence initiative proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron, France and Finland announced in a joint statement. A nuclear coordination group will be established in the coming months to determine the modalities of cooperation.

Finland thus becomes the tenth European country to participate in the French initiative, after the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. Cooperation may include joint exercises and, potentially, the temporary deployment of elements of the French nuclear forces outside French territory. The final decision on the use of the weapons, however, remains with the President of France.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated that the initiative aims to strengthen European security and prevent escalation, without replacing NATO’s nuclear deterrence. Helsinki does not intend to host nuclear weapons on its territory in peacetime, while NATO and the European Union remain Finland’s main frameworks for action.

The announcement was made in the context of a new Franco-Finnish strategic partnership. Macron updated France’s nuclear doctrine in March, proposing greater involvement of European allies, but without creating a formal nuclear umbrella similar to that provided by the United States.

Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometer border with Russia, has strengthened its defenses following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The country joined NATO in April 2023, and in June parliament adopted a law that eliminated the total ban on nuclear weapons.