Since the end of World War II, a guarantee of security in Europe has been a transatlantic alliance, based largely on the United States atomic arsenal. In the face of the return of American diplomacy towards Russia, Emmanuel Macron suggests that France play the role of atomic security guarantor in Europe. What does the French nuclear arsenal look like?
Not American but French nuclear weapons may soon be the largest element of deterrent in the event of a threat to Europe. – I am ready to discuss our fully independent nuclear abilities if they were to enable the construction of greater European power – announced French President Emmanuel Macron.
Yes, in an interview with Portuguese television, before the summit in Great Britain, the French president announced a possible change in the defense doctrine not only of France, but also all of Europe.
Emmanuel MacronPAP/EPA/Christophe Petit Tesson
“French nuclear doctrine retains some mystery and ambiguity”
Macron thus caused a discussion in his own country, which divided, among others, the extreme right. Marine Le Pen said that the French nuclear weapon should only defend France. The chairman of the National Union Jordan Bardella did not agree with this.
– Defense of French interests does not end at our borders. Since the time of President de Gaulle, the French nuclear umbrella by the definition of weapons of some neighbors and European partners – said Bardella.
Indeed, the French atomic doctrine provides for protection not only of the territory of the state, but also a look at the wider interests of Europe. Macron has been discussing the subject of making the French arsenal available for the needs of European defense for several years, emphasizing the uniqueness of its nuclear forces.
– French nuclear doctrine retains some mystery and ambiguity. It has always been an element of effective deterrence. France has always considered the European dimension in the context of key interests with some ambiguity – Macron said in an interview.
The fourth nuclear power of the world
France is the fourth nuclear power of the world. It is ahead of the United States, Russia and China.
Although Paris in the 1990s resigned from the nuclear land weapon, according to the data of the Stockholm Institute of Room Research on the French, the French still have nearly 290 nuclear heads, of which the vast majority, as many as 240, are loads transported by submarine. 50 heads were adapted to the Rafale fighter movement.
– It cannot be that NATO will be maintained only by the United States and the United States will lend a nuclear umbrella over all of Europe. It must change and I understand it. The more that Europe has actually unhooked at the Pacific threat and disregards the Chinese threat element, which is the most important to the Americans, because it is the greatest enemy for them at the moment – noted Jan Piekło, the former Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Ukraine.
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Transatlantic policy disturbance meant that European countries are increasingly talking about cooperation in the field of security and not only within the European Union, as evidenced by, among others, the last peak regarding Ukraine, which took place in Great Britain.
– When it comes to security, I predict that we will soon see more cooperation between the rule of European countries, not only among European Union members. It is about the cooperation of Germany or France, but also Great Britain. We are considering the issues of nuclear deterrence, or rather sharing these possibilities and this is something that Germany is looking at – said Norbert Röttgen, a German MP from CDU.
In response to the criticism of his proposal, Emmanuel Macron emphasized that regardless of whom France would share its atomic arsenal, the decision to use it would be a sovereign and exclusive competence of the French president.
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Source of the main photo: PAP/EPA/Christophe Petit Tesson