Macron Urges European Nuclear Arms Control Initiative To Combat “Unrestrained Arms Race”

At a moment major arms control treaties remain on the brink of collapse, all eyes were on French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday for a key speech in Paris unveiling the future of France’s nuclear weapons. The EU country is one of the five “Nuclear Weapons States” under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and is now the only post-Brexit EU nuclear power. 

Macron warned of a new arms race impacting Europe, especially after last Spring both Russia and the United States formally suspended their participation in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) ahead of its expiration. Europe “cannot remain spectators” in any new arms race, he said. He proposed that the Europeans step up with “an international agenda of arms control” at a moment of heightened proliferation fears. 

“Europeans must realize collectively that in the absence of a legal framework, they could rapidly face a new race for conventional weapons, even nuclear weapons, on their own soil,” Macron warned in his speech, and further urged “strategic dialogue” with European partners centered on France’s nuclear arsenal and its future. 

While emphasizing France’s strategy of nuclear deterrence, he touted Paris’ example of seeking to reduce its nuclear warhead arsenal, recently bringing it to “under 300” – though we should note it’s hovered at 300 or just above for quite some time – which according to the president gives France “the legitimacy to demand concrete moves from other nuclear powers toward global disarmament that is gradual, credible and can be verified.”

Macron further addressed the often strained relationship with the United States at a moment the Trump administration appears to be going its own way on arms proliferation amid heightened tensions and a looming “arms race” with Russia, which has sparked fears of a “Cold War 2.0” of sorts. Last year President Macron personally urged Trump not to axe the INF Treaty with Russia. 

“France is convinced that long-term security in Europe is possible through a strong alliance with the United States,” Macron said. “But our security is also achieved, inevitably, through a larger capacity for autonomous action in Europe.”

However, he also underscored France’s national sovereignty over its nuclear arsenal after prior calls from some corners of the EU, notably German politicians, to bring French warheads under NATO or collective EU control.

He warned of “the possibility of a pure and unrestrained military and nuclear competition, the likes of which we haven’t seen since the end of the 1960s.”

“The vital interests of France now have a European dimension,” Mr Macron said.

European nations should also insist on being signatories of any new deal to limit the development of new intermediate-range weapons,” he added.

“Let us be clear: if negotiations and a more comprehensive treaty are possible … Europeans must be stakeholders and signatories, because it’s our territory” that is most at risk. — The National 

His speech also addressed strained ties with Moscow following the years-long standoff over events in Ukraine. He called for efforts aimed to “restore trust” with Russia. 

“There can be no defense and security project for European citizens without a political vision that seeks to progressively restore trust with Russia,” Macron said. “We cannot accept the current situation, where the chasm deepens and talks diminish even as the security issues that need to be addressed with Moscow are multiplying.”

Elsewhere he proposed a budget of around €37 billion to modernize the county’s nuclear stockpile, which it should be noted remains the only European Union nuclear power after Brexit.