Russia’s foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that support for Ukraine from countries like the U.K., France, and the U.S. could lead to a direct confrontation, which could then trigger a nuclear war. His words have raised fears of a nuclear standoff in Europe, where NATO already stores large quantities of warheads.

Brussels

### Where in Europe does NATO Store Its Nuclear Weapons?

Recent warnings from Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about the potential for nuclear war have highlighted the presence of NATO's nuclear weapons in Europe. Lavrov pointed out that support for Ukraine by countries like the U.K., France, and the U.S. could escalate into a direct confrontation. This stark warning brings into focus the longstanding deployment of nuclear weapons on the continent, stirring fears of a possible nuclear standoff.

Nuclear arms have been positioned in Europe from the mid-1950s, a response to the escalating tensions of the Cold War. Presently, United States tactical nuclear weapons are housed across six bases within five NATO member countries: Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey. Unlike these nations, France and the U.K., the other two nuclear-armed members of NATO, maintain their own arsenals and do not host U.S. weapons on their soil.

The peak of nuclear arms in Europe was witnessed during the 1970s amidst the Cold War, with more than 7,000 warheads. Thanks to various arms control agreements and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, this number has significantly reduced. Current estimates by analysts suggest that there are approximately 100 U.S. nuclear weapons stationed in Europe, all under the strict supervision of U.S. military personnel. In addition to these, it's believed that the U.K. has over 200 warheads, while France may possess nearly 300.

Despite the Cold War's conclusion, Europe continues to house a substantial number of nuclear warheads. The necessity of these stockpiles has been brought into question by critics, especially in the current geopolitical context. However, supporters argue that these weapons serve as a crucial deterrent, particularly in light of Russia's aggressive actions towards Ukraine. 



Where in Europe does NATO store its nuclear weapons?

Nuclear weapons have been deployed in Europe since the mid-1950s, when Cold War tensions began rising. US tactical nuclear weapons are stored at six bases in five NATO member states – Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. As for France and the UK, the other two nuclear-armed NATO members, they have their own stockpiles and don't host US weapons. But the number of weapons stored across Europe has gone down dramatically since it peaked in the 1970s, at the height of the Cold War. Back then there were more than 7,000. Thanks to arms control agreements and the fall of the Soviet Union, that's now dropped to roughly 100 US weapons, according to analysts, closely guarded by US military personnel. The UK is thought to hold more than 200 warheads, whilst for France the figure could be almost 300. Despite the end of the Cold War, significant stockpiles of warheads remain in Europe. Critics have questioned the need to keep the weapons on the continent, but proponents say they're an invaluable military deterrent in the face of Russia's massive assault on Ukraine.

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