French President Emmanuel Macron warned that Europe is “entering a new era” and that it would be “stupid” to be a threat to Russia.
He said France would consider extending the protection of its nuclear arsenal to allies, while warning that Europe needs to “stay with us” for the United States not in the Ukraine-Russian war.
“I decided to engage in a strategic debate on protection through deterrence against allies on the continent,” he said in a live broadcast on the official social media channel.
“Our nuclear deterrence protects us intact, sovereign, French,” Macron said of France’s nuclear arsenal. “This protects us more than many of our neighbors.”
“Whatever happens, this decision will always exist and will remain in the hands of the President of the Republic, the commander of the army,” Macron added.
“Our allies have changed their stance on this war, supported Ukraine less and expressed doubts about what will happen next,” Macron said.
Macron said that while France remains committed to NATO and its partnership with the United States, it needs to “do more” to strengthen its “independence in defense and security.”
He announced that he would invite European leaders to meet next week in Paris to achieve a plan for “lasting peace” that could include the deployment of peacekeeping forces to Ukraine “once peace is signed” to prevent Russian re-invasion.
His comments were posted on Germany’s next prime minister, Friedrich Merz, advocated for talks with France and the United Kingdom, two nuclear forces in Europe, to expand their nuclear protection.
Macron had accepted the idea before and told Portuguese TV RTP last month: “If I [fellow European leaders] To move towards greater autonomy and deterrence, we must open up discussions. ”
He said in an interview with French newspaper Le Parisien. “The Europeans who want to deepen their conversation with us [on the question of nuclear deterrence] Can… Participate [the French military’s] Deterrence movement. ”
Wednesday’s speech comes days after Macron met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a pivotal summit, after a disastrous display between Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Starmer said a few countries are working together to set up plans to stop the fight and then submit it to the United States.
