French President Emmanuel Macron is facing criticism for suggesting that France’s military authority and nuclear arsenal could be deferred to the European Union. In comments reported by Le Figaro, Macron said he was open to discussing all defense options including anti-missile defense long-range weapons and nuclear arms.
Macron’s statements appeared to be a direct response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent comments about Moscow’s readiness to deploy its nuclear arsenal if Russia’s sovereignty were threatened. The French president said that France’s weapons would “deter the Russians” and would only be used “when our vital interests are threatened.”
Macron’s comments have drawn sharp criticism from French politicians across the political spectrum. Francois-Xavier Bellamy a center-right leader said that “a French head of state should not say that. This is very serious because this touches on the very nerve of French sovereignty.”
Macron ready to 'open debate' on nuclear European defence
➡️ https://t.co/6sPoCxE8Qw pic.twitter.com/KjpplRaGge— FRANCE 24 (@FRANCE24) April 27, 2024
Conservatives were also unhappy with Macron’s suggestion of spreading France’s national defense to the entirety of the continent. National Rally MEP Therry Mariani called the president “a national danger” and suggested that France’s permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council could be next to be “sold off to the European Union.”
Far-left lawmaker Bastien Lachaud took to X formerly Twitter to say that “the nuclear deterrent cannot be shared. Under the guise of defending European soil Macron wants to liquidate France’s strategic autonomy.”
France is currently the only nuclear power in the European Union following the U.K.’s departure from the alliance. This has led some globalists to encourage the creation of a continental military unit dedicated to Europe’s defense.
However France’s nuclear arsenal is much smaller than those of the U.S. and Russia. The country possesses approximately 290 nuclear weapons and its strategy of deterrence is based on the premise that its ability to counterstrike will prevent an attack on French soil.
Macron’s comments have reignited the debate over the role of nuclear weapons in Europe’s defense and the extent to which individual nations should cede military authority to the European Union. As the continent faces increasing threats from both Russia and other adversaries the question of how to best ensure Europe’s security is likely to remain a contentious one.
