The French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its strike group are beginning a key phase of their mission in the North Atlantic and Baltic Sea. The vessel, which departed Toulon on January 27, will participate in a series of international exercises by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. On February 25, the ship will dock in the port of Malmö for the first time in history, intended as a clear signal of allied solidarity in the face of Russia's destabilizing actions.

Historic Visit to Sweden

The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle will dock in Malmö on February 25 for the first time, symbolizing a new era of security in the Baltic Sea.

Series of Alliance Exercises

The French strike group will participate in missions Baltic Sentry and Steadfast Dart, testing the rapid deployment of NATO forces.

Strike Forces in the North

The exercises involve a total of 15 vessels and a contingent of 2,600 soldiers deployed in Germany and at sea.

Geopolitical Tensions

The presence of a nuclear-powered vessel is a response to the unstable situation caused by Russia on Europe's eastern borders.

The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has officially announced the extension of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle strike group's operations to the waters of Northern Europe. The ship, the pride of the French Navy, is currently carrying out a mission codenamed Lafayette 26. After completing the national exercise Orion 26, the vessel headed towards the North Atlantic, from where it will enter the Baltic Sea. This is part of a broad NATO strategy aimed at testing force mobility and the ability to rapidly reinforce the Alliance's eastern flank. A historic moment of the mission will be the aircraft carrier's visit to the Swedish port of Malmö, scheduled for February 25, 2026. The Swedish Armed Forces emphasize that this is the first visit of such a large nuclear-powered vessel to this city, confirming the deepening cooperation following Sweden's accession to NATO. The port stay will last several days, during which local authorities will designate special security zones for the French units. Since 2024, after Sweden and Finland joined NATO, the Baltic Sea has de facto become an internal waterway of the Alliance, forcing a revision of defense plans and more frequent presence of the largest naval vessels from Western nations in this region.After departing Malmö, the French naval group will join operation Baltic Sentry and participate in exercise Steadfast Dart 26. Simultaneously, in northern Germany, in Schleswig-Holstein, landing maneuvers are already underway involving 15 ships and 2,600 soldiers. These activities are part of a larger cycle, also including exercises Neptune Strike and Cold Response, designed to verify the operational readiness of troops in challenging climatic and geopolitical conditions. „This maneuver demonstrates our capability to deploy an aircraft carrier strike group in strategic areas to protect European and allied interests.” — French Ministry of the Army

Mentioned People

  • Donald Trump — President of the United States, whose plans regarding Greenland are cited as one element destabilizing the region.
  • Charles de Gaulle — Historical figure after whom the French aircraft carrier is named.