Russia, which holds the world\u2019s largest nuclear arsenal with approximately 4,000 warheads, considers the French nuclear deterrent a potential threatread more<\/p>\n
The Kremlin warned Wednesday (May 14) that any deployment of French nuclear bombers across Europe would not enhance security, after French President Emmanuel Macron said he was open to discussing an extended nuclear umbrella for the continent.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe proliferation of nuclear weapons on the European continent is something that will not add security, predictability, or stability,\u201d Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.<\/p>\n
Macron raised the idea during a televised interview on Tuesday (May 13), drawing comparisons to the United States nuclear policy, which positions American weapons in allied countries and offers a nuclear defence guarantee. He pointed out that the United States already deploys nuclear bombs in Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Turkey.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe are ready to open this discussion,\u201d Macron said on TF1 television. \u201cI will define the framework in a very specific way in the weeks and months to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
France is the only European Union member state with nuclear weapons. With Russia\u2019s ongoing war with Ukraine and US President Donald Trump urging European nations to take more responsibility for their defence, debate has been building around the idea of France extending its nuclear deterrent to the broader 27-member bloc.<\/p>\n
Russia, which holds the world\u2019s largest nuclear arsenal with approximately 4,000 warheads, considers the French nuclear deterrent a potential threat. Peskov said global strategic stability was already in a poor state.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt present, the entire system of strategic stability and security is in a deplorable state for obvious reasons,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued several nuclear threats since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, prompting sharp criticism from Western governments, who have condemned such rhetoric as reckless.<\/p>\n