French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Europe must be able to protect itself against potential threats from Russia, emphasizing the decision to initiate a strategic dialogue on nuclear deterrence to protect European allies.
In a public address on the night of the 5th local time, President Macron mentioned, “We must make decisions without delay for the safety of Ukraine, France, and Europeans.”
President Macron also stressed that any decision, regardless of circumstances, rests with the President of the Republic, who is the military commander-in-chief, and this will continue to be the case.
Earlier, Friedrich Merz, head of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and a strong candidate for Germany’s next chancellor, suggested that Europe should find ways to defend itself without relying on the U.S. nuclear umbrella. He proposed discussing nuclear sharing or applying the nuclear defenses of Europe’s two major powers, the UK and France.
Macron, who has long advocated for a “French nuclear umbrella theory” for Europe, responded positively to Merz’s proposal, signaling the start of official discussions. However, within French politics, particularly the far-right National Rally (RN), there is opposition to using France’s nuclear deterrent for anything other than French defense.
In his address, Macron emphasized the need to increase Europe’s defense capabilities, should the U.S. cease to be an ally. He pointed out “Russia continues to increase military spending, above 40% of their budget,” and questioned who believes Russia would stop at Ukraine. He described standing by as mere spectators in such a dangerous world as madness.
Macron announced a decisive step to be taken at the European Union (EU) emergency summit on the 6th in Brussels, noting that “member states will be able to increase military spending without it counting towards budget deficits and a large joint fund will be established to purchase and produce European-made weapons on European soil.”
Regarding France, Macron said, “Given the evolving threats, we need to make new budget choices and essential additional investments,” but promised not to raise taxes.
Macron also highlighted the importance of securing a sustainable peace agreement for the end of the war in Ukraine, stating “Ukraine cannot surrender, nor should a weak ceasefire be established.”
He suggested that as part of preparations to ensure Ukraine is not invaded again by Russia once a peace agreement is reached, “the deployment of a European union force could be considered” as peacekeepers.
Furthermore, he stated that these forces would be there to ensure peace is fully respected and announced an upcoming meeting in Paris with chiefs of staff from countries willing to take responsibility on the matter.
For European self-reliance, Macron insisted on economic efforts as well. He urged preparation for the possibility of the U.S. imposing tariffs on European goods, similar to what it did with Canada and Mexico, criticizing it as incomprehensible for both economies, and vowed to persuade the U.S. President to prevent such tariffs.
After the speech, Macron began a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a notably pro-Russian leader among EU members.
[Image source: AFP=Yonhap News]
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