French President Emmanuel Macron, who has recently taken an increasingly tough line against the Russian Federation, is open to discussions about France’s use of nuclear weapons to protect Europe from Russian threats, Politico reports.
The publication quotes the statement of the French leader, made in an interview with regional media, in which he announced the intention of Paris to contribute more to the defense of European security.
According to the French president, he plans to open discussions on missile defense and nuclear weapons. Journalists draw attention to the fact that France is the only nuclear power in the European Union – it has about 300 nuclear warheads in its arsenal.
The publication also adds that the French leader is beginning to take a tougher position against Russia. However, this is not the first announcement by Macron about France’s intention to use its nuclear arsenal to protect European security – the first time he took such a step was in 2020, when he called for a strategic dialogue on the role of France as a nuclear power in Europe’s collective security, in particular, Macron tried to start a discussion with Germany, which in its has deployed American nuclear weapons in the territory.
