America abhi NATO ke aur zyada deshon mein nuclear-capable aircrafts ki deployment badhaane par soch rahi hai, multiple reports ke hisaab se. Abhi tak 6 European countries mein US ke nuclear-capable bombers mojood hain existing arrangements ke tahat. Lekin US officials ne kaha hai ki yeh framework aur deshon tak bhi extend kiya ja sakta hai, especially NATO ke eastern flank ke countries jaise Poland aur kuch Baltic states. Ye discussions Russia ke saath chal rahi tensions ke beech ho rahe hain.
Proposal yeh hai ki zyada countries mein US ke dual-capable aircrafts (DCA) ko host kiya jae, jo conventional aur nuclear strikes dono deliver kar sakte hain. *Financial Times* ka 2 June 2026 ka report sources ke hawaale se yeh kehta hai, lekin ismein yeh bhi clear hai ki koi immediate agreement expected nahi hai. Ye move NATO ke nuclear sharing arrangements ko aur mazboot banayega, jo alliance ki deterrence strategy ka ek important hissa hai. Ye arrangements political responsibility aur operational risks ko member states ke beech distribute karte hain, taaki non-nuclear allies bhi nuclear policy mein apna role play kar sakein bina khud ke nuclear weapons develop kiye.
Pentagon ke policy chief Elbridge Colby ne pehle hi yeh highlight kiya hai ki NATO ke defense posture mein US ke nuclear weapons ka kitna important role hai. Publicly baat karte hue Colby ne kaha hai ki Washington NATO allies ki security ke liye apne nuclear arsenal ka istemal karne ke liye committed hai, even as European members ko apne conventional military capabilities ke liye zyada responsibility lene ke liye encourage kiya ja raha hai. Ye stance US President Donald Trump aur unki administration ke broader critiques se match karta hai, jinhone bar bar European allies ko defense spending badhaane aur US military support par zyada depend nahi hone ke liye kaha hai.
NATO ke nuclear sharing arrangements alliance ke collective security framework ka ek important hissa rahe hain since its inception. Pehle US ke atomic weapons Europe mein 1954 mein deploy kiye gaye the, aur yeh framework decades tak formal hota raha. 1966 mein NATO ne Nuclear Planning Group (NPG) banaya, jo alliance ke nuclear mission ki collective political oversight provide karta hai. Isse non-nuclear members ko nuclear policy discussions mein shaamil hone ka mauka milta hai, jisse alliance ki cohesion aur credibility mazboot hoti hai. Ye arrangements Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) ke saath compliant rahe hain, jo 1970 mein apply hua tha, kyunki US aur Soviet Union ne negotiations ke dauran agree kiya tha ki aise measures Europe mein nuclear proliferation ko roke rakhne ke liye zaroori hain.
Nuclear deployments ki possible expansion ek aise time par ho rahi hai jab geopolitical tensions, especially Eastern Europe mein, aur zyada badh gaye hain. Poland aur Baltic states jaise countries DCA bases host karne mein interest dikhaa rahe hain, kyunki wo Russia ke military activities aur intentions ko lekar concerned hain. NATO channels ke andar discussions chal rahi hain, lekin koi final decision abhi nahi liya gaya hai. US ne abhi tak kisi comment ke liye request par public response nahi di hai, aur NATO ne bhi koi immediate statement dene se mana kiya hai.
Analysts ka kehna hai ki yeh move multiple purposes serve kar sakta hai: NATO ki deterrence posture ko mazboot karna, allies ko US commitment ka reassurance dena, aur Europe mein nuclear proliferation ko discourage karna. America ki extended deterrence guarantee ko visibly demonstrate karke alliance aggression ko deter karna chahta hai jabki region mein stability maintain karna. Lekin ye proposal escalation ke risks aur arms control aur non-proliferation efforts ke broader implications ke baare mein bhi sawaal uthaata hai.
