In an encouraging reception, Poland and the Baltic countries supported the recent initiative by French President Emmanuel Macron to initiate discussions on leveraging France’s nuclear arsenal for the protection of Europe against Russian threats. These talks come amidst rising security concerns and coincide with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s attendance at a critical European Union summit in Brussels, which focused on defense and security matters.
Macron’s announcement, made during a televised speech, emphasized the need for a “strategic debate” regarding the use of France’s nuclear capabilities, as fears grow about the possibility of a reduced U.S. presence in the region. France stands as the only nuclear-armed nation within the European Union, highlighting the significance of this move in the context of European security, especially with Macron labeling Russia as a “threat to France and Europe.”
However, Moscow was quick to criticize the proposal, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov describing Macron’s statement as “extremely confrontational.” He insinuated that France seems to be leaning more towards war, extending its confrontation. Echoing this sentiment, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov interpreted the comments as a “threat” against Russia.
Despite Russian opposition, Macron’s proposal was met positively by several Eastern European countries. Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk, currently presiding over the EU’s rotating presidency, recognized the need to consider the proposal seriously, although he noted that the details require careful examination. The Baltic states also expressed their approval, urging for increased defense investments from EU members to preempt any potential Russian aggression. Lithuanian President Gitanas Naus?da termed the nuclear umbrella concept as an “interesting idea,” which could serve as a powerful deterrence to Russia.
Meanwhile, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Sili?a identified it as “an opportunity” for further dialogue, pointing out the necessity for comprehensive discussions both within Europe and at a national level.
According to the Federation of American Scientists, France has the world’s fourth-largest nuclear inventory, with close to 290 nuclear warheads. While the United Kingdom, which recently departed from the EU but seeks strengthened ties with the union, also retains nuclear capabilities. A representative for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer mentioned that the UK already contributes its nuclear resources to NATO, thereby bolstering the security of the Euro-Atlantic region.
Historically, the US provided a nuclear shield during the Cold War, assuring allies, particularly NATO members, of protection through American nuclear strength, deterring many nations from developing their nuclear arsenals. Recently, Friedrich Merz, Germany’s projected future chancellor following the latest election, advocated discussions of “nuclear sharing” with France. Presently, Germany is one of the nations participating in NATO’s nuclear sharing policy by hosting US nuclear weapons.
Macron made it clear that any final decision about utilizing France’s nuclear armaments would reside exclusively with the French president.
