Norway will be under France's 'nuclear umbrella'

DOK/President of France Emmanuel Macron

JAKARTA - French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that Norway had agreed to join the nuclear deterrence cooperation initiative he proposed.

"Mr. Prime Minister, you have given your approval for Norway to join what we call 'advanced nuclear deterrence'," Macron said at a joint press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store as reported by ANTARA from Sputnik, Thursday, May 28.

"This is a very important stage in our partnership and will drive a very ambitious cooperation," he said.

Earlier on the same day, the Norwegian Prime Minister said his country would be under the "nuclear umbrella" of France, but stressed that nuclear weapons would not be deployed in Norwegian territory in peacetime.

In March, Macron announced France was entering an era of "advanced nuclear deterrence."

Based on the new approach, France will increase the number of nuclear warheads, while European countries can participate in joint deterrence exercises.

Macron said eight European countries would join France's "doctrine", namely Great Britain, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, and Denmark.