Macron able to ‘open debate’ on nuclear European defence | EUROtoday

Issued on: 27/04/2024 – 21:39

1 min

It was simply the newest in a sequence of speeches in latest months during which he has confused the necessity for a European-led defence technique.

“I am ready to open this debate which must include anti-missile defence, long-range capabilities, and nuclear weapons for those who have them or who host American nuclear armaments,” the French president stated in an interview with regional press group EBRA.

“Let us put it all on the table and see what really protects us in a credible manner,” he added.

France will “maintain its specificity but is ready to contribute more to the defence of Europe”.

The interview was carried out Friday throughout a go to to Strasbourg.

Following Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, France is the one member of the bloc to own its personal nuclear weapons.

In a speech Thursday to college students at Paris’ Sorbonne University, Macron warned that Europe confronted an existential menace from Russian aggression.

He known as on the continent to undertake a “credible” defence technique much less depending on the United States.

“Being credible is also having long-range missiles to dissuade the Russians.

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“And then there are nuclear weapons: France’s doctrine is that we can use them when our vital interests are threatened,” he added.

“I have already said there is a European dimension to these vital interests.”

Constructing a standard European defence coverage has lengthy been a French goal, however it has confronted opposition from different EU international locations who take into account NATO’s safety to be extra dependable.

However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the attainable return of the isolationist Donald Trump as US president has given new life to requires larger European defence autonomy.

(AFP)