The construction of a defense Europe has for a very long time been an objective of France which has often encountered reluctance from its partners who considered the NATO umbrella more secure. The war in Ukraine, as well as the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House in November, are reshuffling the cards.
In an interview with young Europeans, published on Saturday evening by the Ebra group’s newspapers, Emmanuel Macron said he was ready to “open the debate” on a European defense which would also include nuclear weapons.
“I am in favor of opening this debate which must therefore include anti-missile defense, long-range weapon firing, nuclear weapons for those who have them or who have American nuclear weapons on their soil. Let’s put everything on the table and look at what truly protects us in a credible way,” declared the Head of State, adding that France would keep “its specificity but is ready to contribute more to the defense of European soil”.
Since Brexit and the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, France is the only one of its member states to have a nuclear deterrent.
During his speech on Europe on Thursday at the Sorbonne, the French president pleaded for a “powerful Europe” and the creation of a “credible” defense Europe alongside NATO and facing Russia, become much more threatening since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“There is a European dimension to these vital interests”
“This may mean deploying anti-missile shields, but we must be sure that they block all missiles and deter the use of nuclear power,” said the head of state.
“Being credible also means having long-range missiles that would deter the Russians. And there is nuclear weapons: French doctrine is that we can use them when our vital interests are threatened. I have already said that there is a European dimension to these vital interests, without detailing them because this deterrence would contribute to the credibility of European defense,” he explained.
During his speech at the Sorbonne, Emmanuel Macron had already addressed this question of French nuclear weapons, which regularly comes up in discussions on European defense.
“Nuclear deterrence is indeed at the heart of French defense strategy. It is therefore, in essence, an essential element in the defense of the European continent,” he had already said last Thursday.
Regarding Ukraine, Emmanuel Macron expects that current arms deliveries will allow the Ukrainians to “resist more”. “We are really playing for our security, and we are playing for the future of Europe,” he concluded.
