Speaking to the French daily La Tribune on May 4, French President Emmanuel Macron asserted that a Russian victory over Ukraine would allow Moscow to place missiles on Europe’s doorstep, reported RT. He described Russia as “an adversary,” and that establishing “a priori limits” would be interpreted as weakness. “‘We must remove all visibility from it, because that is what creates the ability to deter,’ he argued. Macron further noted that Ukraine is crucial to France’s security because it is located only 1,500 km from its borders. ‘If Russia wins, the next second, there is no longer any security possible in Romania, in Poland, in Lithuania and not in our country either. The capability and range of Russian ballistic missiles expose us all,’ he said.”
Over the recent period, Macron has been fanning the flames of strategic escalation, not only by raising the possibility of NATO troop deployments into Ukraine, but also by hinting at a shift in France’s strategic doctrine regarding nuclear weapons.
Historically, France’s doctrine has been to only use nuclear weapons when the country’s vital interests are threatened. However, in an interview with French regional press group EBRA on April 28, he stated, “I am ready to open this debate which must include anti-missile defense, long-range capabilities, and nuclear weapons for those who have them or who host American nuclear armaments…. Let us put it all on the table and see what really protects us in a credible manner,” reported DW.
