Macron: Europe must prepare its own defense

Europe must be prepared to go it alone. After decades of relying on the United States and NATO to shoulder the burden of its defense, Reuters That said, French President Emmanuel Macron said last week that the continent must build “a stronger and more integrated European defense.” This means building industrial capacity and its own missile shield. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine clearly showed this need, Macron said. “There is a risk that our Europe will die. We are not equipped to face these risks.”

Nuclear weapons could also be part of the mix. France already has an atomic arsenal, The Wall Street Journal but it may be time to “Europeanize” these weapons to protect the country’s allies against attacks, Macron said this weekend. “This deterrence contributes to the credibility of European defense,” he said in an interview. Other European countries may be ready to follow suit: some German officials are reportedly looking to France and the United Kingdom to provide aid. nuclear umbrella for the continent “if the United States is no longer willing to play this role”.