Overview
- Russia’s deputy foreign minister said Moscow would add any country that hosts French nuclear-capable aircraft to its list of priority targets in a major war.
- France is developing a forward posture that uses short, temporary deployments of Rafale jets able to carry the ASMPA nuclear cruise missile to partner bases rather than permanent basing.
- Poland joined talks with France on exercises and possible future deployments after leaders met in Gdansk, but Poland’s defense minister said reports of agreed joint nuclear drills are not accurate.
- A regional outlet reported plans for Baltic exercises with Rafale “equipped with nuclear warheads,” a claim that remains unconfirmed and was publicly downplayed by Warsaw.
- The exchange comes in an arms-control vacuum created by New START’s expiry and as a U.N. review of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty opens in late April.