French President Emmanuel Macron has signaled that France is open to extending its nuclear deterrent to European allies, warning that Russia now poses a direct threat to the continent.
In a televised address, Macron outlined plans to increase defence spending while urging Europe to prepare for a world where U.S. security guarantees may no longer be reliable.
France and Britain are Europe’s only nuclear-armed nations, with France’s deterrent consisting of Rafale fighter jets and nuclear submarines capable of launching strikes at any time on presidential orders.
Macron said that while the final decision on nuclear weapons would remain solely in French hands, he is open to discussions about offering extended nuclear protection to European partners.
“Russia has become a threat to France and Europe. To watch and do nothing would be madness,” Macron said.
The remarks mark a major shift in France’s nuclear strategy, which has traditionally been independent of NATO. The policy dates back to Charles de Gaulle’s Cold War doctrine, which sought to position France as a nuclear power outside U.S. control.
Amid growing security concerns, Macron pledged to boost military spending, though he stopped short of providing exact figures. He ruled out tax hikes, suggesting that budget reallocations would be necessary to fund the increase.
"I want to believe the U.S. will remain at our side, but Europe must be ready if that is no longer the case."
His comments reflect mounting concerns among European leaders following Donald Trump’s decision to freeze military aid to Ukraine and question NATO’s collective defence commitments.
Macron’s speech comes ahead of a crucial EU summit on defence, where European leaders will discuss how to maintain support for Ukraine and strengthen their own security measures.
France and Britain are also working on a joint peace plan for Ukraine, which could be finalised within days and presented to Washington and Moscow as a potential diplomatic solution.
The plan aims to repair relations between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy after their tense Oval Office meeting last week, where Trump berated Zelenskiy for being ungrateful for U.S. aid.
Europe’s security landscape has changed dramatically since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. With Trump’s unpredictability and fading U.S. involvement, European countries are scrambling to reassess their defence strategies.
While France’s nuclear deterrent has long been viewed as a national security asset, Macron’s willingness to extend protection to European allies signals a shift towards greater European military integration in response to Russia’s aggression and U.S. unpredictability.
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