Russia Warns European Countries Against Hosting French Nuclear Bombers

SadaNews - Russia warned on Thursday evening that any European country that accepts the deployment of French strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons will make itself a target for Moscow's military attacks in the event of a conflict.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans in March to expand the country's nuclear arsenal and stated that France might allow its European partners to host its nuclear-capable aircraft for temporary deployments.

Alexander Grushko, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, stated in an interview published on Thursday that this is part of an "uncontrolled expansion" of NATO's nuclear capabilities, which poses a strategic threat to Russia, according to Reuters.

He emphasized Moscow's concern over potential French nuclear deployments to other European countries. Macron noted that Paris is discussing such arrangements with the UK, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, and Denmark.

Grushko told the state media outlet "Russia Today": "It is clear that our army will have to pay close attention to this issue in the context of updating the list of priority targets in the event of a major conflict... Consequently, instead of strengthening France's declared defense of its allies, to whom it does not, by the way, provide any definitive guarantees, the security of these countries is actually weakening."

Macron's initiative comes as part of a campaign led by NATO's European members to take on more responsibility for their defense, following repeated criticisms by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the alliance, and in light of his threats to take control of Greenland from Denmark, a NATO member.

The expiration of the last remaining treaty limiting the size of Russia's and America's strategic nuclear arsenals in February has created a void in global arms control at a time when international tensions are at their highest in decades due to the Ukraine and Iran wars.

Grushko stated that any future dialogue regarding nuclear weapons must take into account NATO's shared capabilities, including French and British arsenals, in addition to the American arsenal.

This week, the alliance criticized Russia and China for their nuclear weapons policies, urging both countries to work with the United States to achieve greater stability and transparency at a conference opening at the United Nations in New York next week to review the operation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.