French President Emmanuel Macron announced an increase in France’s nuclear warhead stockpile and pledged to defend the country’s “vital interests” without hesitation.

Speaking from a ballistic-missile submarine base in Brittany, he said France would no longer disclose the size of its nuclear arsenal.

Macron emphasized that any use of France’s nuclear weapons would be unavoidable for potential adversaries.

The country currently has an estimated 290 nuclear warheads, according to SIPRI, Euro News has reported.

The speech comes amid heightened European security challenges, including the war in Ukraine and the escalating conflict involving Iran.