Emmanuel Macron gives his vision of nuclear deterrence

His speech on nuclear deterrence was eagerly awaited by the military. In front of the officers of the War School, in Paris (VII), Emmanuel Macron detailed this Friday his vision and his proposals in the matter, for about an hour and a quarter. An imposed exercise for French presidents, army chiefs and masters of the doctrine of deterrence, considered as the keystone of the country's defense strategy.

True to tradition, and in line with its predecessors, Macron reaffirmed its attachment to the French arsenal (fewer than 300 nuclear warheads he detailed) and promised to initiate its costly modernization.

VIDEO. Arms race: "Europeans cannot limit themselves to spectators"

Above all, the president urged Europeans to no longer behave as "spectators". He urged his partners to develop "a greater capacity for action" in the face of global disorders. First by participating fully in future negotiations on arms control, but also by joining in a "strategic dialogue" on the role of French nuclear deterrence.

It is all the more useful that since Brexit, France is now the only country in the European Union to be equipped with atomic weapons. As a response, hollow, to the proposal of a German deputy close to Angela Merkel who earlier this week had asked France to share its nuclear weapons.

An arsenal which "strengthens the security of Europe"

Instead of "sharing", the head of state proposed an exchange. “European partners who wish to embark on this path may be associated with the exercises of the French deterrent forces. This strategic dialogue and these exchanges will naturally participate in the development of a true strategic culture between Europeans. "

Because according to him, this arsenal "strengthens the security of Europe" and has an "authentically European" dimension. This proposal for joint exercises is the only real innovation in this speech.

Political Newsletter

I'm registering

Your email address is collected by Le Parisien to allow you to receive our news and commercial offers. Find out more

This speech was also an opportunity for the Head of State to deliver his vision of the world, to describe the "global competition between the United States and China", the "accelerated disintegration of the international legal order . "France is convinced that the long-term security of Europe requires a strong alliance with the United States", he launched, aware of the concerns of certain members of the EU, in particular at is from the Old Continent, and who rely primarily on NATO for their security. "But our security also inevitably depends on a greater capacity for autonomous action by Europeans," insisted the president. It is still necessary that the latter respond present.