Finland Joined the French Initiative on Nuclear Deterrence

Finland will join the “extended” nuclear deterrence system proposed by France.

A statement published by the French public broadcaster FranceInfo indicates that both countries announced: “A nuclear steering group will be established in the coming months to begin implementing this cooperation.”

This makes Finland the tenth European partner to join the initiative launched earlier this year by French President Emmanuel Macron.

France is the only EU country that possesses nuclear weapons and one of only two such states in Europe — along with the United Kingdom.

The “extended” deterrence initiative aims to involve other European states, particularly through exercises and strategic consultations, but without joint decision-making on final decisions.

“This means that we are diversifying our defense and our deterrence,” said Finnish President Alexander Stubb at a press conference in Helsinki.

“If you ask what our primary nuclear umbrella is, it remains, as before, the NATO umbrella—or, more precisely, that of the United States. Thus, this adds value to our own defense planning,” he explained.

“In peacetime, no nuclear weapons will be deployed on Finnish territory,” Stubb emphasized.

This announcement was made as part of a new strategic partnership between France and Finland, which is set to be signed in Helsinki by the foreign ministers of both countries.

Participants in the initiative

In a speech delivered in early March, French President Emmanuel Macron updated France’s nuclear deterrence doctrine.

From the very beginning, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, and Denmark joined the initiative, and in May, Norway also joined.

Test of the French M51.3 strategic ballistic missile, 2023. Photo credits: French Ministry of Defense.

In June, the Finnish Parliament passed new legislation that lifts the country’s complete ban on nuclear weapons.

This vote brought Finnish legislation in line with that of its northern neighbors — Sweden, Norway, and Denmark — where there is no general, explicitly statutory ban on nuclear weapons.

This summer, France also announced that it would contribute to NATO’s forward land forces in Finland, which are under Swedish command and designed to strengthen the Alliance’s deterrence capabilities in the face of the Russian threat.

Last year, the M51.3 intercontinental ballistic missile became operational, and it is currently the main component of France’s naval nuclear deterrent.

Related article: Nuclear Deterrent Forces in Europe: How Large and Independent Are They?