Belgium may participate in the nuclear deterrence project proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron to bolster European security.
Belgium's Foreign Minister Maxime Prevost expressed support for the initiative, stating that the concept of a French "nuclear shield" intended for other European countries, including Belgium, appears to be a constructive idea, Operative Information Center-OMM reports.
The Foreign Minister emphasized that the primary objective of the proposal is not to escalate tensions but to ensure strategic containment. "The goal is to curb conflict, not to ignite it," Prevost noted, highlighting the defensive nature of the cooperation. On March 2, President Macron invited eight European nations—Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, and Denmark—to join the project aimed at extending France's nuclear umbrella across the continent.
This initiative comes amid increasing discussions regarding European strategic autonomy and the necessity for a self-reliant defense framework within the European Union. As France remains the only nuclear-armed power in the EU following Brexit, the proposal seeks to integrate national deterrents into a broader regional security architecture. The move is seen as a response to shifting geopolitical dynamics and the need for enhanced collective security measures among European allies.
