France to consider protecting European allies with its nuclear arsenal – Macron warns

 French President,  Emmanuel Macron has warned that Europe was entering a new era, and that it would be folly to remain a spectator to the threat from Russia. He said that France will consider extending the protection of its nuclear arsenal to its allies, while warning that Europe needs to be ready for the United States to not remain by our side in the Ukraine-Russia war. Ive decided to open the strategic debate on the protection by our deterrence of our allies on the European continent, he said in a live broadcast on his official social media channels, during which he stressed the need for Europe to continue assisting Ukraine and strengthen its own defense. Our nuclear deterrence protects us, it is complete, sovereign, French from end to end, Macron said of Frances nuclear arsenal. This protects us much more than many of our neighbors. Whatever happens, the decision has always remained and will remain in the hands of the president of the Republic, commander of the military, Macron added.The United States, our ally, has changed its position on this war, is less supportive of Ukraine and is casting doubt on what will happen next, Macron said, adding: I want to believe that the United States will remain by our side, but we need to be ready if that were not the case.Although France remains committed to both NATO and its partnership to the US, it needs to do more to strengthen its own independence in matters of defense and security, Macron said. He announced he would invite European leaders to a meeting in Paris next week to work on a plan to deliver a durable peace, which may include deploying peacekeeping troops to Ukraine once peace has been signed to prevent Russia from re-invading.His comments come after Germanys likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, advocated for talks with France and the United Kingdom – Europes two nuclear powers – to extend their nuclear protection.Macron has accepted this idea before, telling Portuguese TV station RTP last month: If my [fellow European leaders] want to proceed towards greater autonomy and a capacity for deterrence, well we must open that discussion. In an interview with French newspaper, Le Parisien, he said; Europeans who wish to deepen dialogue with us [on the question of nuclear deterrence] could be involved with [the French militarys] deterrence exercises. The Wednesday speech came days after Macron met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a critical summit, following the disastrous show-down between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.A small number of nations are working together on a plan to stop the fighting, which would then be presented to the US, Starmer said.   The post France to consider protecting European allies with its nuclear arsenal – Macron warns appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.