French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday that he will talk with European allies about the option of using France's nuclear weapons to defend the continent from Russian threats. This comes amid growing worries about the U.S. possibly pulling back its support. France is currently the only country with nuclear weapons in the European Union. 

Macron said he had chosen "to open the strategic debate on the protection of our allies on the European continent by our (nuclear) deterrent" and called Russia a "threat to France and Europe" in a televised speech ahead of a special European meeting Thursday. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that only he would have control over France’s nuclear weapons. His statement comes after Friedrich Merz, Germany’s recent election winner, suggested discussing “nuclear sharing” with France. EU leaders will talk about nuclear deterrence at a summit in Brussels on Thursday, along with support for Ukraine and European defence. For years, European NATO allies have relied on the U.S. for nuclear protection.

“Europe’s future does not have to be decided in Washington or Moscow,” Macron said, insisting that “the innocence of the last 30 years” which followed the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall, is “now over.” Macron stated that Russia is now using 40% of its national budget on the military. By 2030, it plans to grow its army with 300,000 more soldiers, 3,000 tanks, and 300 fighter jets. “Who can believe that today’s Russia will stop at Ukraine?” Macron asked. After a possible peace agreement is reached, Macron stated that allies must ensure that Russia won't invade Ukraine once more. He stated that this entails giving the Ukrainian army "long-term support" and potentially sending in European troops. Macron explained that those troops "would not fight on the front line, but they would be there, on the contrary, once peace has been signed, to guarantee that it is fully respected." According to him, next week in Paris, army chiefs of staff from participating European countries will convene.

U.S. President Donald Trump wants Europe to take more responsibility for its own defence. Officials in his administration have suggested that the U.S. might not always stay as involved as it is now. French President Emmanuel Macron also hopes to persuade Trump not to put tariffs on European imports. Trump has warned that he might add a 25% tax on European goods, saying the European Union has made trade unfair for the U.S. However, EU leaders have denied this claim.