Washington, DC – The Financial Times reports that the United States is holding high-level, highly confidential discussions regarding the potential deployment of nuclear weapons in other European NATO member states. This unprecedented move comes as Washington seeks to reassure its European allies that reducing conventional US military support does not weaken security guarantees or abandon the nuclear umbrella protecting the continent.
The newspaper quoted three people familiar with the discussions as saying that US officials have expressed a clear openness to considering additional deployments beyond the six countries currently hosting nuclear-capable bombers and aircraft.
These sensitive talks come amid widespread concern in European capitals over US President Donald Trump’s moves to withdraw US troops and critical strategic weapons systems from the continent and redeploy them to other theaters around the world.
“Dual capability” and the pillars of strategic deterrence
These agreements, if ratified, would likely allow more European countries to host what are known as “dual-capable” (DCA) aircraft. These are strategic fighters and bombers capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons, and they form the backbone of NATO’s deterrence system.
This list includes modern and advanced models such as the F-35A stealth fighter and the B-21 Raider strategic bomber. It also includes the F-15E, B-2 Spirit, and F-16 aircraft, which are highly versatile and capable of switching munitions in the field depending on the nature of the mission.
Two sources confirmed that Washington’s willingness to discuss expanding the geographic scope of nuclear sharing is primarily intended to demonstrate the United States’ firm commitment to providing a nuclear deterrent umbrella. This comes even as European NATO allies are under intense pressure to shoulder more of the burden of conventional defense and increase their military budgets.
In this context, countries representing NATO’s eastern flank, most notably Poland and some of the Baltic states bordering Russia, have expressed significant interest in potentially hosting dual-capable aircraft bases.
Polish officials have publicly expressed their desire to host nuclear weapons, with former Polish President Andrzej Duda calling on the United States to extend the Dual-Capable Aircraft Initiative to include Polish territory. Meanwhile, Warsaw joined a new French initiative this year exploring the possibility of temporarily relocating parts of its nuclear deterrent force to allied European countries for the first time.
The war in Ukraine and the calculations of the participation program
Sources indicated that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s repeated statements about his country’s nuclear capabilities were the primary motivations driving these allies to demand advanced nuclear safeguards. However, one source emphasized that reaching a final agreement on expanding the scope of the agreement is not a foregone conclusion at this time.
NATO’s current “nuclear sharing” program, a legacy of the Cold War era, includes six countries—Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the United Kingdom—that host U.S. nuclear weapons deployed in forward positions.
Washington retains the sole and complete authority to order the use of these weapons, which are guarded and stored by U.S. special forces. In return, allied air groups undergo rigorous training to participate in missions demonstrating military power and to use these weapons if authorized by the United States.
Despite European allies pledging to increase their defense spending and address the conventional military gaps created by the Trump administration’s plan to shift military resources to Asia, the American nuclear umbrella remains an indispensable option for the continent.
This was underscored by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte after a recent meeting of the alliance’s foreign ministers, who emphasized the need to maintain a robust deterrent and overall defense posture in Europe. He warned emphatically: “If anyone dares to attack us, the response will be resounding and devastating.”
