By Hong Yan
In recent years, against the backdrop of the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict, more European countries have shown a trend toward hosting US nuclear weapons. This March, Polish President Andrzej Duda expressed his hope for the expansion of the nuclear sharing project in Europe, seeking US nuclear deployments on Polish soil to help deter potential military threats from Russia. Besides, Japan and the ROK, two key US allies in the Asia-Pacific region, have also seen growing calls for their own Nuclear sharing arrangements with the US.
Recent US policy moves suggest that Donald Trump, prioritizing America's own interests, appeared increasingly willing to abandon many of the interests of Europe and Ukraine, eyeing Ukraine's vast resources while leaving Europe to shoulder the burden of the conflict. With US-Russia relations easing and transatlantic divides widening, Europeans realized after the Munich Security Conference (MSC) that America's nuclear sharing is less a shield and more an illusion.
In recent years, calls for European strategic and security autonomy, especially nuclear autonomy, have grown louder. French President Emmanuel Macron recently stated that France will discuss the possibility of using its nuclear deterrent European allies. In March, Friedrich Merz, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) chancellor candidate of Germany, proposed at the MSC that Germany engage in dialogue with France and the UK on nuclear sharing, emphasizing that Europe must strengthen its collective nuclear deterrence. Meanwhile, both Macron and Merz emphasized their commitment to the partnership with the US, stating that the enhanced nuclear capabilities of Europe would complement America’s nuclear protection. This indicates that despite advocating for strategic and defense autonomy, Germany and France still harbor concerns about the influence of the US.
Rather than a cooperation mechanism for security between the US and Europe, nuclear sharing can be seen as a tool for the US to control Europe. The leadership of nuclear sharing has always remained firmly in American hands. When the US needs Europe as a frontline deterrent, it increases its investment in nuclear sharing, showing Europe a sense of America’s so-called sincerity. However, when the US deems it necessary to adjust its policies due to changing circumstances, the so-called nuclear protection under the nuclear sharing arrangement becomes nothing more than a foldable umbrella.
Looking back at history, whether it was Georgia in 2008, or now Ukraine and Europe, they have all become sacrifices for the US to pursue its own interests. Can the US promises of nuclear sharing and nuclear protection be trusted by Europe? Can other US security guarantees be trusted? And in the future, can US allies trust the US? These questions certainly raise significant doubts.
Moreover, the US nuclear sharing is an unequivocally negative institutional arrangement. On one hand, it seriously undermines the international nuclear non-proliferation system. On the other hand, it provides false security assurances to its allies, enabling them to act recklessly in the field of geopolitical security, which would lead the regional security situation toward a more uncontrollable crisis. The international community should remain highly vigilant and firmly resist the spread of this dangerous mechanism of nuclear sharing.
Editor's Note: Originally published on thepaper.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
