Emmanuel Macron ready to involve Europeans in French nuclear deterrence

Text by: RFI Follow

Europeans cannot "confine themselves to a role of spectators" in the face of the nuclear arms race in which Europe is likely to be the theater again, the French president launched before a parterre of French officers, this Friday 7 February.

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Before reaching out to the Europeans, Emmanuel Macron, before the officers of the war school, made a point of recalling the founding elements of the French nuclear deterrent. Announcing that France will not accede to a nuclear weapons ban treaty, President Macron recalled that the role of deterrence would remain limited to the extreme circumstances of self-defense, while insisting on France's determination to remain mistress of his destiny:

Emmanuel Macron at the École Militaire

“ France's nuclear strategy is fundamentally aimed at preventing war. Our nuclear forces are not directed against any country and I reaffirm here that France will never engage in a nuclear battle or any graduated response. Our nuclear forces play their own deterrent role, particularly in Europe. They strengthen the security of Europe by their very existence and in this respect have a highly European dimension. On this point, our independence of decision has an unshakeable compatibility with solidarity with our European partners. "

A “ strategic culture between Europeans ”

But for the French head of state, in a Europe re-founded around a shared strategic culture, the European partners could be associated with nuclear deterrence:

“ European partners who wish to be associated in this way may be associated in the exercises of the French deterrent forces. This strategic dialogue and these exchanges will naturally participate in the development of a true strategic culture between Europeans. "

►Read also: Hello Europe - Horrors and misfortunes of European defense

Independence of decision fully compatible with European solidarity. On the other hand, the Head of State did not provide more details on the form that this association could take, nor give the names of the European partners likely to be interested.

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• France
• Emmanuel Macron
• Defense
• Nuclear
• European Union

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