Macron says he'll confer with allies on protecting Europe with French nuclear deterrence

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that, in light of concerns about a potential U.S. withdrawal, he will discuss with European allies the possibility of using France's nuclear deterrent to protect the continent from Russian threats. France is the only EU nation with nuclear weapons, making this a critical consideration for European security.

In a televised address ahead of this week's special European summit, Macron described Russia as "a threat to France and Europe" and said he had decided "to open a strategic debate on the use of our (nuclear) deterrent to protect our allies on the European continent." He emphasized that the right to use French nuclear weapons would always remain in the hands of the French President, ensuring French control over its nuclear arsenal.

Macron's move is a response to German election winner Friedrich Merz's call for a discussion on "nuclear sharing" with France. EU leaders are expected to discuss nuclear deterrence at this week's summit in Brussels, which will focus on supporting Ukraine and European defense. European NATO allies have long relied on a strong U.S. deterrent. Macron emphasized that "the future of Europe must not be decided by Washington or Moscow," arguing that "the naive era of the past 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall is over," signaling a shift towards greater European autonomy in defense matters.

Macron pointed out that Russia is currently spending 40% of its national budget on military expenditures and plans to expand its army by 2030, adding 300,000 soldiers, 3,000 tanks, and 300 fighter jets. He questioned, "Who can believe that Russia today will stop in Ukraine?" He also stated that allies need to ensure that Russia does not invade Ukraine again after a potential peace agreement is signed, which means providing "long-term support to the Ukrainian army" and potentially deploying European forces. These forces "will not fight on the front lines; instead, once peace is signed, they will be there to guarantee that peace is fully respected." He revealed that a meeting of the chiefs of staff of the European countries willing to participate will be held in Paris next week.

On another note, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded to comments made by the U.S. Vice President that seemed to denigrate the British military. During Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, Starmer paid tribute to the British armed forces. This came after JD Vance made comments on Fox News that seemed to refer to Britain as "some random country" that has not fought a war in the last 30 to 40 years. Starmer also paid tribute to the 642 British soldiers who sacrificed their lives fighting alongside the United States and other Western countries in Afghanistan and Iraq, highlighting the UK's continued commitment to international security.