France has sent its flagship aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, into the Atlantic as European leaders display unity over Greenland, highlighting concerns about transatlantic security and Europe’s strategic autonomy.
The carrier departed the French naval base in Toulon this week to participate in Orion 26, a major allied exercise, the French Ministry of Defence confirmed.
While its exact route was not disclosed, sources said the strike group is headed for the North Atlantic, a region of growing geopolitical significance.
The deployment coincides with planned talks in Paris between French President Emmanuel Macron and leaders from Denmark and Greenland. Greenland’s strategic location, bridging the Arctic and North Atlantic, and its mineral wealth have made it a focal point for global powers.
Tensions escalated earlier this month when former US President Donald Trump threatened to seize Greenland and impose tariffs on European nations opposing him, including France, Germany, and Britain.
Following negotiations, Trump stepped back from military threats, though few details of the deal were made public.
French officials emphasized the operation is a measured exercise rather than a show of confrontation.
The carrier strike group includes the aircraft carrier and its combat aircraft, air-defence frigates, supply vessels, and an attack submarine.
Analysts note the North Atlantic is also a key transit route for Russian submarines from the Northern and Baltic fleets.
The operation comes amid broader NATO debates about Europe’s defence capacity.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte recently noted that Europe remains dependent on the US for security, warning that full independence would require more than doubling current defence spending.
France has long advocated for greater European “strategic autonomy,” arguing that strengthening European capabilities complements, rather than replaces, the transatlantic alliance with Washington.
The deployment underscores Paris’s push for solidarity and confidence within NATO, even as Europe navigates heightened transatlantic tensions and challenges in its northern strategic corridors.
