French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed his willingness to engage in a debate about protecting Europe under France’s nuclear umbrella, an issue recently raised by incoming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
However. Macron stressed that the decision to use nuclear weapons rests solely with the French president.
Merz suggested that Europe must prepare for the “worst-case scenario” of a NATO without security guarantees. He indicated that Germany might need protection from British and French nuclear weapons, due to doubts over US President Donald Trump’s willingness to fulfill his obligations to the alliance and its members.
Macron reaffirmed France’s commitment to NATO and its partnership with the United States in a TV address on Wednesday evening.
He stressed the importance of strengthening Europe’s independence in defence and security, stating: “Washington or Moscow does not decide the future of Europe.”
These issues will be discussed at an extraordinary European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday.
Immediately after his address, Macron met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has often aligned with Russian and US positions.
