Moscow (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that raising nuclear arms within the European Union will not enhance security or stability in the Old Continent.
On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his willingness to discuss the possible deployment of France’s nuclear weapons in other parts of Europe. These remarks were made during an interview with the French broadcaster TF1 on Tuesday evening.
Why is the Kremlin opposing Macron’s nuclear plan?
“The proliferation of nuclear weapons on the European continent is something that will not add security, predictability and stability to the European continent. Now the entire strategic stability and security system is in a deplorable state for obvious reasons,”
Peskov informed reporters about French President Emmanuel Macron’s willingness to contemplate the use of French aircraft armed with nuclear weapons in other European nations countries.
What did Macron say regarding deploying nukes?
Macron pointed out that the United States has nuclear-armed aircraft deployed in Europe.
“The Americans have the bombs on planes in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Turkey,”
Macron stated.
“We are ready to open this discussion.”
“I will define the framework in a very specific way in the weeks and months to come,”
He added.
In 2024, France possessed approximately 280 nuclear warheads, as reported by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Moreover, In March, Marcon suggested initiating discussions with European allies regarding the potential role of French nuclear weapons in safeguarding Europe. His remarks arrive as numerous European leaders express doubts about relying on the US’s nuclear assurance given the rising concerns of a Russian threat to the continent.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany has shown interest in hosting French nuclear weapons. However, he emphasized during a joint press conference with Macron in Paris last week that this would be “expressly not a substitute for the nuclear guarantee currently being given to Europe by the United States of America.”
What are the risks of expanding nuclear deterrence?
According to experts, Reviving the idea of a European nuclear sharing agreement with France and the UK as a defense against threats from Moscow is not merely a geopolitical mistake; it represents a strategic dead end. This approach misinterprets the nuclear balance of power and overlooks the existential dangers of further fragmenting Europe’s security framework. Instead of enhancing deterrence, this strategy threatens to intensify the instability it aims to prevent.
