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For the first time, France and the United Kingdom have signed a declaration
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to coordinate the use of their nuclear weapons if they face an attack
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The move comes as Russia continues its assault on Ukraine and follows pressure from President Trump
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for European nations to shoulder more of their own defense. France and the UK are Western Europe's two nuclear powers
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possessing around 515 warheads combined, according to the Wall Street Journal. Experts say that's enough to be a credible deterrent
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though far fewer than the stockpiles held by the United States and Russia. The agreement also appears to be a signal of support to NATO allies across Europe
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President Trump, both on the campaign trail and once in office, has pushed European countries to increase defense spending and rely less on American support
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At a recent NATO summit, many members agreed to boost military spending to 5% of GDP at Trump's urging
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One expert called the France-UK nuclear protection collaboration a, quote, decoupling from the United States
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French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced the move at a state visit to the UK
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has been leading the push for European defense autonomy. And a former U.S. ambassador to NATO under the Obama administration told Politico
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that Trump's pressure has created a roadmap for Europeanizing NATO, adding that it may ultimately strengthen the alliance
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