French President Emmanuel Macron has announced plans to discuss expanding France’s nuclear deterrence to protect Europe, warning that Russia is now a direct threat to the continent.
"We Are Entering a New Era"
In a televised address, Macron declared that Europe must face the reality of an increasingly aggressive Russia under Vladimir Putin, while also acknowledging that U.S. support for Ukraine is wavering.
"The United States, our ally, has changed its position on this war, supporting Ukraine less and leaving doubt about what comes next," Macron said, as cited by Euronews.
He stressed the need for stronger European military capabilities, warning that Putin’s ambitions may not stop at Ukraine.
"Russia is violating our borders to assassinate opponents, manipulating elections in Romania and Moldova, organizing cyberattacks against our hospitals, and attempting to manipulate our opinions with lies spread on social media," he said.
Nuclear Deterrence for Europe?
Macron’s most striking proposal was to open a strategic debate on whether France’s nuclear arsenal could help protect European allies.
While he reaffirmed that France’s nuclear weapons would remain solely under presidential control, he suggested that Europe’s security must no longer be entirely dependent on U.S. protection.
"I want to believe that the U.S. will stand by our side, but we have to be ready for that not to be the case," he warned.
France is the only EU country with nuclear weapons after Britain’s departure from the bloc.
Europe Responds as U.S. Pauses Military Aid
Macron’s speech came just hours after Washington suspended all military aid to Ukraine, putting pressure on the European Union to step up its support.
On Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a €800 billion "Rearm Europe" plan to finance a massive increase in defense spending across the bloc.
European leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday for an extraordinary summit on defense and Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer are leading discussions on a potential post-war peacekeeping force in Ukraine—a plan aimed at preventing Russia from launching another invasion if a truce is reached.
Macron also spoke with both Trump and Zelenskyy, reaffirming France’s commitment to securing a “lasting peace”, though his office provided no details about Trump’s response.
