Macron: “France is ready to defend EU allies with nuclear weapons, Russia is a threat to EU”

French President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that he is willing to consider using French nuclear weapons to defend European allies. Macron stated this in his address to the nation on the evening of March 5.

The French leader said he saw France as playing a special role in efforts to strengthen Europe’s autonomy and defense capabilities as the country with “the most effective army in Europe” and a nuclear power.

Macron noted that since France acquired nuclear weapons, they have been its fully independent sovereign instrument, playing a role in maintaining peace and security on the European continent.

“But in response to the historic call of the future German Chancellor, I have decided to launch a strategic debate on the protection of our allies on the European continent by means of deterrence. Whatever happens, the decision has always been and will always be in the hands of the President of the Republic,” Macron stated.

He was responding to criticism within the country that arose after his first words about such a possibility.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the terms of an agreement ending the Russian-Ukrainian war cannot be a de facto surrender of Ukraine. He stressed that a lasting peace is necessary for the security of Europe and that Russia has become a threat to France and the EU.

“The Russian threat is here and impacts the countries of Europe and us. Russia has already turned the Ukrainian conflict into a global conflict. It has mobilized North Korean soldiers and Iranian equipment on our continent while helping these countries to arm themselves further. President Putin’s Russia violates our borders to assassinate opponents and manipulates elections in Romania and Moldova. It conducts cyber attacks against our hospitals to block their operation. Russia is trying to manipulate our opinions by spreading lies on social networks. (…) And Russia, at the same time, continues to rearm, spending more than 40% of its budget for this purpose,” Macron said.

Macron said that European partners should continue to support Ukraine and stressed the unacceptability of pushing for “peace at any cost.” “Russia can’t be trusted at its word. Ukraine has the right to peace and security. And this is also in our interests, in the interests of the security of the European continent,” the French President stressed.

Emmanuel Macron stated that modern Russia has become a threat to all of Europe, including France, and there is no reason to believe that it would stop at Ukraine.

In an interview given on March 2 on the way to a summit of European leaders in London, Macron suggested that France would offer to station its nuclear weapons on allied territory to replace the United States.

Macron also said it was time for Europe to increase defense spending to 3–3.5% of GDP. On March 4, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the ReArm Europe program, which could mobilize up to €800 billion for defense.