Europe must start thinking decades ahead—acquiring long-range strike power and folding France’s nucl
Macron Urges Europe to Build Nuclear Shield, Slams US Snub at Munich Summit
Europe must start thinking decades ahead—acquiring long-range strike power and folding France’s nuclear arsenal into a future EU security umbrella—French President Emmanuel Macron declared Friday in a blunt challenge to both Washington and Moscow.
Speaking to the Munich Security Conference, Macron rejected claims that Europe is fading and warned that any Ukraine peace deal that bows to Russian demands will only invite fresh aggression.
“This Is the Hour for Boldness”
> “It is the right moment for audacity. It is the right moment for a strong Europe.”
Macron, entering his final year in office, said the continent must learn to act as a “geopolitical power” and prepare for a permanently hostile Russia even after the guns fall silent in Ukraine.
He ruled out any temporary truce that ducks the war’s core issues, insisting:
> “There can be no concession to Russian demands.”
The French leader revealed he has already opened talks with British and German officials on a sweeping overhaul of Europe’s Cold-War-era security architecture.
Nuclear Sharing Proposal Takes Center Stage
Macron floated integrating France’s independent nuclear deterrent into a wider European framework—an idea that drew immediate interest from new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Merz told the same audience he has held “first discussions” with Macron on Germany possibly joining the “French nuclear umbrella,” a seismic shift after decades of reliance on US warheads.
- France maintains ~300 nuclear warheads, Europe’s largest national stockpile after Russia.
- Germany currently hosts US tactical nukes under NATO sharing agreements.
US No-Show Stuns Allies
The trans-Atlantic mood darkened when Secretary of State Marco Rubio abruptly canceled a scheduled meeting with European leaders on Ukraine peace initiatives.
An EU official branded the snub “outrageous”, while the *Financial Times* reported the Trump administration is “increasingly sidelining” European allies from war planning.
Merz warned Washington it has “reached the limits” of its ability to solve global crises alone, urging:
> “Let us restore and revitalize trust together across the Atlantic.”
Europe Told to Cut US Dependence
In a pointed English-language aside, Merz said the “old international order is gone” and neither America nor Europe can navigate the new era of great-power rivalry solo.
He rejected Trump’s “culture wars” and defended free trade, but stressed Europe must reduce its over-dependence on the United States without weakening NATO.
> “This is not about abandoning the Alliance; it is about growing up,” Merz concluded, calling the Munich conference a “seismograph” of US-Europe tensions.
Key Takeaways
- Macron calls for EU long-range strike capability and French nuclear deterrent shared with partners.
- Germany’s Merz confirms exploratory talks on joining French nuclear shield.
- Rubio’s last-minute cancelation signals Washington’s shrinking consultation with Europe.
- Both leaders agree: post-Ukraine Europe must rearm and speak with one strategic voice.
The Munich summit ends Sunday, but the debate over Europe’s nuclear future—and its strained bond with America—is only beginning.
