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.
At least four people died in Russian strikes on the Ukrainian port of Mykolaiv, officials said, as attacks were reported across Ukraine overnight. ...
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, ...
U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to send every American adult a $5,000 payment if the Republicans keep control of the House of Represen...
Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
A TV channel was struck during a live broadcast on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at least three people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Meanwhile, drones hit civilian infrastructure in Russia's southwestern Saratov region.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly launched two ballistic missile attacks against a U.S. Navy warship over the past two days.
Wildfires have broken out in Türkiye’s Antalya province, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate as strong winds fuelled the flames.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Wednesday they attacked two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, calling the strikes a response to a U.S. attack on five Iranian tankers.
At least four people died in Russian strikes on the Ukrainian port of Mykolaiv, officials said, as attacks were reported across Ukraine overnight. In Russia, a woman was killed by drone debris, a regional official said, and drones sparked fires at a port city in Dagestan.
U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to send every American adult a $5,000 payment if the Republicans keep control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in November's midterm elections.
At least five people have died and more than 80 others remain unaccounted for after a passenger ferry caught fire off the western Philippines, prompting a major search-and-rescue operation involving the coast guard, government agencies and local fishing communities.
Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Wednesday they attacked two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, calling the strikes a response to a U.S. attack on five Iranian tankers.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment