Overview

• European nations are actively debating the feasibility of developing nuclear weapons for the first time in decades due to eroding U.S. security guarantees.
• French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed modernizing France's nuclear arsenal to act as a collective European deterrent, though concerns remain over its reliability under future leadership.
• Poland and other Eastern European nations are considering significant military expansions, including potential nuclear armament, to counter perceived threats from Russia.
• The Trump administration's policies, including troop withdrawals and reduced NATO commitments, have fueled doubts about the credibility of U.S. defense assurances.
• Experts warn that the weakening of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a shift toward nuclear self-reliance could trigger a global domino effect in nuclear proliferation.