The French president has cautioned that European nations should prepare for a scenario where the U.S. might not provide assistance.
President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will consider using its nuclear capabilities to protect European allies. His statement comes amidst growing concerns among NATO members about the reliability of U.S. defense commitments under President Donald Trump.
Last month, Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor-designate, suggested that Britain and France could extend nuclear protection to Germany, given the tensions between Russia and NATO over Ukraine, noting that previous offers had gone unanswered.
In a speech on Wednesday, Macron expressed openness to extending France’s nuclear umbrella, stating he had decided to initiate a strategic debate on protecting European allies with a nuclear deterrent, referencing the appeal from the future German chancellor, according to RFI.
Macron acknowledged that people in France are understandably worried about the new era under Trump, saying that while he hopes the U.S. will remain supportive, preparation is necessary in case it does not.
Trump, elected on an “America first” platform, has insisted that European allies increase their contributions to their own defense. He also diverged from many NATO countries by declining to unconditionally support Ukraine against Russia, choosing instead to engage in direct talks with Moscow.
Trump’s sharp shift from former President Joe Biden’s policies has led European allies to question the dependability of U.S. defense commitments. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in a letter to EU member states on Tuesday, described Europe as facing a clear and present danger of unprecedented scale.
The U.S. president has emphasized that his priority is to mediate a ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev and prevent the conflict from escalating into a full-scale war between nuclear powers. During a tense exchange in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump reportedly accused Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky of gambling with World War Three.
Russia has accused NATO of escalating tensions and warned that Western weapon deliveries to Ukraine increase the risk of dangerous escalation. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated last year that Russia views nuclear weapons as instruments for deterring and preventing nuclear war and will do everything to avoid a confrontation.