Paris
Cnn
–
France will plan to extend the protection of its nuclear arsenal to its allies, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday, while warning that Europe must be ready so that the United States “does not remain by our side” in the Ukrainian-Russia war.
“I decided to open the strategic debate on protection by our deterrence of our allies on the European continent,” he said in a live program on his official social networks, during which he stressed the need for Europe to continue to help Ukraine and strengthen his own defense.
“Our nuclear deterrence protects us, it is complete, sovereign, French from start to finish,” said Macron about the nuclear arsenal of France. “It protects us much more than many of our neighbors.”
“Whatever happens, the decision has always stayed and will remain in the hands of the President of the Republic, commander of the army,” added Macron.
He also warned that Europe “entered a new era” and that it would be “madly” to remain a “spectator” to the threat of Russia.
“The United States, our ally, has changed its position on this war, are less favorable to Ukraine and cast a doubt about what will then happen,” said Macron, adding: “I want to believe that the United States will stay by our side, but we have to be ready if it was not the case.”
Although France remains attached to both NATO and its partnership with the United States, it must “do more” to strengthen its own “independence in defense and security,” said Macron.
He announced that he would invite European leaders to a meeting in Paris next week to work on a plan aimed at offering a “lasting peace”, which could include the deployment of peacekeeping troops in Ukraine “once peace has been signed” to prevent Russia from reinstating.
His comments come after after the next probable chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, pleaded for talks with France and the United Kingdom – the two nuclear powers of Europe – to extend their nuclear protection.
Macron has already hosted his head at this idea, telling the RTP of the Portuguese TV channel RTP: “If Mes (colleagues European leaders) want to go towards greater autonomy and a deterrent, we must open this discussion.”
And on Monday, he told the French newspaper Le Parisien, in confirmed comments to CNN by the Palais d’Elysee, that “Europeans who wish to deepen dialogue with us (on the question of nuclear deterrence) could … be involved in deterrent exercises (the French soldiers)”.
Wednesday’s speech occurred a few days after Macron met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a critical summit, following the disastrous demonstration between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump in the oval office.
A small number of nations work together on a plan to stop the fighting, which would then be presented in the United States, said Starmer. Macron revealed more on the plan in an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro, saying that France and the United Kingdom proposed a limited one month ceasefire in Ukraine.
