French President Emmanuel Macron will deliver his long-awaited keynote speech on Monday, March 2, 2026, dedicated to the country’s nuclear doctrine and the contribution of France’s nuclear deterrent to European security, according to the Elysée Palace.
The speech will take place at the strategic naval base of Île Longue, a key facility home to four nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines that provide the oceanic component of France’s nuclear triad.
This will be Macron’s first major statement on nuclear issues since 2020 and a traditional doctrinal update, which every French president makes at least once during his term. According to sources at the Élysée Palace, the speech will be “an important moment in my second term” and will bring “quite significant evolutions and changes.
Key anticipated highlights:
Reaffirming the contribution of French nuclear power to defending the European continent amid geopolitical upheavals, including the war in Ukraine, the growth of the Russian nuclear arsenal, and uncertainty surrounding the American “nuclear umbrella” in the Donald Trump era.
Continuing and developing the 2020 ideas of “associating” European partners with French doctrine (including possible joint exercises), but without transferring control over nuclear weapons to other countries.
Deepening strategic dialogue with Germany (Chancellor Friedrich Merz has already confirmed the start of consultations) and other EU countries on how to articulate national doctrine in the European context.
Emphasizing the principle of “strict sufficiency”—France maintains a minimal but credible arsenal, rejecting an arms race and nuclear war. The Elysée Palace emphasizes that any possible steps toward European integration of nuclear deterrence will not compete with NATO and American guarantees, but will complement them.