Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 announced that Norway will join French President Emmanuel Macron's nuclear deterrence initiative, while firmly stating that the move will not alter Oslo's longstanding policy on nuclear weapons. Store travelled to Paris for talks with Macron, citing the current security situation in Europe as the primary driver of the decision.

What Norway Has Agreed To — And What It Has Not

Store was unambiguous in drawing a line between participation in the deterrence framework and any shift in nuclear posture. Norway will not permit nuclear weapons to be stationed on its territory in peacetime, he said, and will not contribute financially to France's nuclear weapons programme. The decision, according to Store, reflects Europe's need to assume greater responsibility for its own security rather than any change in Norway's foundational nuclear stance.

The France-Norway Defence Agreement

Later on Wednesday, Norway and France signed a new bilateral defence agreement in Paris, under which both countries commit to providing military support to each other if required. The agreement formalises a deeper security partnership that goes beyond the nuclear deterrence question and covers broader defence cooperation.

Macron's European Nuclear Ambition

The announcement follows Macron's declaration in March 2025 that France would strengthen its nuclear arsenal by increasing the number of warheads, and that Paris was prepared to add 'a European dimension' to its deterrence strategy. Several European nations — including Sweden, Britain, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, and Denmark — have reportedly expressed interest in the framework.

Last month, France and Poland deliberated on conducting joint military exercises as part of this initiative. Macron discussed the idea with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk during talks in Gdansk, northern Poland, in April. 'Among the options we will consider are information sharing, joint exercises and the possible deployment of forces,' Macron said at a joint press conference when asked about nuclear cooperation.

Tusk noted that discussions on nuclear security cooperation were being held discreetly, adding that Poland had joined 'an exclusive group that understands the need for European solidarity and sovereignty' by accepting France's invitation, according to the Polish Press Agency.

Broader Context: Europe's Shifting Security Calculus

Norway's entry into the initiative underscores a wider European reassessment of collective defence, accelerated by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and uncertainty over long-term US security guarantees to the continent. This is the latest in a series of moves by European nations to deepen indigenous defence arrangements, with France positioning itself as the continent's primary nuclear anchor. Notably, Norway has historically maintained one of NATO's stricter self-imposed nuclear restrictions, making Wednesday's announcement a significant — if carefully hedged — step.

How the initiative evolves, particularly on questions of command-and-control and burden-sharing, will shape whether it becomes a genuine strategic framework or remains largely symbolic.