Russia says NATO's nuclear sharing mission undermines NPT treaty

MOSCOW – NATO’s nuclear weapons sharing mission in Europe weakens the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), according to the Russian Embassy in Oslo commenting on Norway’s decision to join France’s nuclear deterrence initiative. On Wednesday (27 May), Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said his country would be protected by France’s ‘nuclear umbrella’, but nuclear weapons would not be stationed in Norway during peacetime. ‘Russia views such interactions among NATO countries as highly negative, considering them a ’joint nuclear mission’ that undermines the NPT regime, Euro-Arctic security, and broader global stability,’ the embassy stated. The Russian embassy added that Franco-Norwegian cooperation in the initiative could include joint military exercises. In March, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the country had entered an era of ‘advanced nuclear deterrence’. Under the new approach, Paris will increase its nuclear warhead stockpile, while European nations can participate in joint deterrence exercises. Macron named eight European countries joining France’s ‘doctrine’: the UK, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, and Denmark. The military exercises are purely for training personnel and aircrew in attack missions, with no actual nuclear weapons used. The drills involve up to 15 NATO member states deploying dozens of fighter jets, including long-range B-52 bombers, advanced F-35 jets, tankers, and surveillance aircraft. They typically last two weeks in October.