The move appears to offer both countries’ nuclear weapons as a deterrent for all of Europe while establishing greater independence from any safety net provided by the U.S.’s much larger arsenal.

French Energy Minister Marc Ferracci has consistently driven a hard bargain in negotiations with the U.K, calling for the two plants to be negotiated together. “We have to find a way to consolidate the financial schemes of both projects,” Ferracci told The Financial Times.

France and Britain on Thursday agreed to reinforce cooperation over their respective nuclear arsenals as the two European powerhouses seek to respond to growing threats to the continent and uncertainty over their U.