Kremlin Slams Macron’s Nuclear Comments as ‘Confrontational’

[Social Media]

 

The Kremlin has sharply criticized French President Emmanuel Macron following his suggestion that France may extend its nuclear deterrent to protect European allies. Russian officials accused Macron of making direct threats against Russia, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov even drawing comparisons between Macron and Adolf Hitler.  

 

 

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also condemned the French leader’s remarks as “extremely confrontational,” while senior Russian senator Konstantin Kosachev described Macron as a “maniac” pushing the world toward catastrophe. The strong reactions came after Macron announced in a televised address that he would open discussions on potentially extending France’s nuclear protection to other European nations. This proposal followed calls from Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting, for France and the UK to enhance their nuclear deterrent to counter rising threats.  

 

Lavrov responded with alarm, stating, “If he sees us as a threat... and says that it is necessary to use a nuclear weapon, is preparing to use a nuclear weapon against Russia, of course it is a threat.” Macron, however, justified his stance by pointing to a rapidly rearming Russia, calling it a danger to both France and Europe. He also noted that the war in Ukraine had already become a “global conflict” and suggested that Europe could no longer depend on the United States for unwavering support.  

 

Macron’s rhetoric drew further condemnation from Peskov, who claimed, “France wants the war to continue,” while members of the Russian parliament expressed outrage. Kosachev accused Macron of misleading the world with a false narrative that Russia was preparing for aggression, adding, “Such false conclusions and false suggestions lead to the abyss.”  

 

Currently, Russia and the United States control around 88 percent of the world’s nuclear stockpile, with approximately 5,000 warheads each. France possesses an estimated 290 nuclear warheads, while the UK holds 225, according to data from the Federation of American Scientists.  

 

Macron, addressing growing concerns among European nations, reassured citizens by stating, “You are, I know, legitimately worried about the current events, which are disrupting the world order. To watch and do nothing would be madness.” His proposal found support from Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, who called the idea “very interesting” and added, “A nuclear umbrella would serve as a really very serious deterrence toward Russia.”  

 

As tensions escalate, Macron is set to host European military leaders in Paris next week to discuss the possibility of deploying troops to Ukraine after a ceasefire is reached with Russia. Moscow has firmly opposed any such peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, with Lavrov making clear that Russia sees no room for negotiation on the matter. “This discussion is being held with an overtly hostile aim,” he declared, warning that any European troops sent to Ukraine would be treated as NATO forces.  

 

Lavrov also invoked historical comparisons, saying, “Unlike their predecessors, who also wanted to fight against Russia—Napoleon, Hitler—Mr Macron does not act very gracefully, because at least they said it bluntly: ‘We must conquer Russia, we must defeat Russia.’”  

 

Meanwhile, Macron expressed concern over shifting US foreign policy, particularly in light of Donald Trump’s stance on European security. “I want to believe that the United States will stand by us. But we need to be ready if that is not the case,” he said.  

 

The situation comes amid frantic diplomatic efforts to bolster support for Ukraine. With Washington’s commitment wavering, Britain and France have sought to act as intermediaries between the US and Kyiv. In the past two days, the US has halted military aid to Ukraine and cut off intelligence-sharing, both critical for Ukraine’s defense and strategic operations.  

 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has responded by signaling his willingness to engage in peace talks, stating that he is prepared to negotiate “as soon as possible” in a bid to mend relations with the Trump administration. On Thursday, European Union leaders held emergency talks on Ukraine and the potential for a peace agreement, following a high-level summit hosted in London by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

 

Based on a report by The Telegraph  2025-03-10

 

 

[MikeandDow]

So its ok for Putin to threaten the west with nuclear weapons ???

[TedG]

This is funny coming from the guy who is always threatening to use nukes. 

[johng]

6 hours ago, TedG said:

This is funny coming from the guy who is always threatening to use nukes. 

 

What would be even more "funny"  is having all those nukes and not threatening to use them.  The threat is the deterrent  Mutually Assured Destruction  MAD is the very appropriate acronym.

[LatPhrao]

Putin's hysterical rants sound exactly like his partner's, Donald Trump.  They are taking on each others psychotic behaviour.

 

[newbee2022]

6 hours ago, Social Media said:

suggestion that France may extend its nuclear deterrent to protect European allies.

No word of upcoming war against Russia.

Just protection.

[jas007]

This Macron character needs a reality check, I'm afraid.  And if I were living in Paris right now, I'd be questioning that choice.  

 

For Russia, France would become an existential threat.  His idea would not be tolerated.  

[Captain Flack]

A number of post containing just Youtube videos have been removed. If you are going to links to outside content it should always include relevant comment on what is contained in the video, remember this is a discussion forum.

[Jingthing]

In a very dark time, it's a positive that Europe is realizing that the USA now is not their ally any more and can't be counted on for anything. The USA under wannabe autocratic God/King/Dictator Trump is clearly on the side of Russia now, actively helping Putin murder Ukrainian civilians. It's definitely a hard pill for decent Americans to swallow but swallow it we all must.

[Harrisfan]

Just now, Jingthing said:

In a very dark time, it's a positive that Europe is realizing that the USA now is not their ally any more and can't be counted on for anything. The USA under wannabe auticratic God/King/Dictator Trump is clearly on the side of Russia now, actively helping Putin murder Ukrainian civilians. It's definitely a hard pill for decent Americans to swallow.

No different to 1939. US started Lend Lease in 1941.

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

No different to 1939. US started Lend Lease in 1941.

Completely different.

The USA and Russia were both fighting the Nazis.

Now the USA and Russia are fascists fighting democracies.

[Harrisfan]

Just now, Jingthing said:

Completely different.

The USA and Russia were both fighting the Nazis.

Now the USA and Russia are fascists fighting democracies.

US is a democracy. Duuh

[johng]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Now the USA and Russia are fascists fighting democracies.

 

Ridiculous statement !

[Dcheech]

22 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

No different to 1939. US started Lend Lease in 1941.

Because isolationist Republican senators blocked all attempts by President Roosevelt wanted to send aid in 39 and 40, until they were able, barely able, to get  lend lease through. Something the Republican party STILL doesn't like to remember, or talk about. 

After Dec 7, those very same senators and their party, who had stopped aid from being sent to nations fighting Nazism, wrapped themselves in the flag and became, wait for it, Super Patriots.    Some things never change.

[Jingthing]

This video from a decent traditional conservative republican and his channel explains this dark situation to people who have yet to realize that this historic realignment (the USA to Russia and global autocracies and against traditional democratic allies) is very very real.

 

 

 

 

 

[Harrisfan]

2 minutes ago, Dcheech said:

Because isolationist Republican senators blocked all attempts by President Roosevelt wanted to send aid in 39 and 40, until they were able, barely able, to get  lend lease through. Something the Republican party STILL doesn't like to remember, or talk about. 

So not war mongers good.

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, johng said:

 

Ridiculous statement !

Worthless reply. 

[Harrisfan]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

This video from a decent traditional conservative republican and his channel explains this dark situation to people who have yet to realize that this historic realignment is very very real.

 

 

 

 

In 2014 you guys did not care about Ukraine. Trump hatred has changed your views on everything.

[Cameroni]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

This video from a decent traditional conservative republican and his channel explains this dark situation to people who have yet to realize that this historic realignment (the USA to Russia and global autocracies and against traditional democratic allies) is very very real.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guy is clearly delusional. Russia will win the war against Ukraine and is winning it now. 

 

Without US support Ukraine has no chance.

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Harrisfan said:

In 2014 you guys did not care about Ukraine. Trump hatred has changed your views on everything.

I don't know who "you guys" are but I definitely did care back then.

I've been critical of both Obama and Trump on Ukraine policy, but the evil that Trump is doing openly siding with Putin and helping him murder Ukrainian civilians would have been hard to even imagine from any U.S. president, but then it happened.

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

The guy is clearly delusional. Russia will win the war against Ukraine and is winning it now. 

 

Without US support Ukraine has no chance.

I wouldn't agree with him that it's certain, but he's correct that history shows that refusing to surrender and fighting on against all odds, is quite often successful. It does take a lot of time though. Trump wants total surrender of Ukraine. The question is will Ukraine do that. I don't think so. 

[Cameroni]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I wouldn't agree with him that it's certain, but he's correct that history shows that refusing to surrender and fighting on against all odds, is quite often successful. It does take a lot of time though. Trump wants total surrender of Ukraine. The question is will Ukraine do that. I don't think so. 

 

Trump does not want a total surrender of Ukraine. Nor does Putin by the way. And whilst it's true that Russia can't fight the war for all eternity, it is extremely obvious that before Russia falls from exhaustion Ukraine will have fallen 20 times.

 

All Putin wants is to secure the strategic position of the Russian homeland, which is non-negotiable. I mean he went to war over it. Ukraine has to accept that it will lose territory and give peace to its citizens. Everything else is folly.

[Eric Loh]

9 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

In 2014 you guys did not care about Ukraine. Trump hatred has changed your views on everything.

Trump has changed side and that change our view. Trump’s USA has joined the axis of evil. As long as Russia is treated as an enemy, we never need to care as the combined free world with US leadership stand detente with Russia. Not now and we care enough to call him out 

[Dcheech]

20 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

In 2014 you guys did not care about Ukraine.

 

you guys ?   Anything more specific? 

 Malaysia Flight was 17 shot down in 2014 by Russian forces, disguised as Russian Ukrainian forces. I made sure not to book any airline flying over Russia or The Ukraine airspace, after that. More expensive in a few cases, sure, but its my cash. Even back then Putins true mind set was easy to see,

[Cameroni]

14 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I wouldn't agree with him that it's certain, but he's correct that history shows that refusing to surrender and fighting on against all odds, is quite often successful. 

 

I'd like to see the numbers for that theory. Brits think because they did not surrender in WWII and, ironically, Russia saved their bacon by defeating Germany this is a successful strategy. But it was only successful because Britain was protected by a body of water and had another nation, Russia, die and win on the battlefield for them. Ukraine does not have either, and I fail to see how Ukraine can ever win this war.

 

Just generally btw, how would you calculate those odds, if you look at all the wars where a country has refused to surrender and lost quite badly, you'd have a very long list. Far longer than instances where non-surrender has resulted in victory or a draw.

[Thingamabob]

1 hour ago, LatPhrao said:

Putin's hysterical rants sound exactly like his partner's, Donald Trump.  They are taking on each others psychotic behaviour.

 

Psychotic ? Calculating, more like. Hysterical rants. None at all that I'm aware of. 

[RuamRudy]

42 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

All Putin wants is to secure the strategic position of the Russian homeland, which is non-negotiable. I mean he went to war over it. Ukraine has to accept that it will lose territory and give peace to its citizens

 

In what way was Russia threatened, either in 2014 or 2022?

[nauseus]

1 hour ago, LatPhrao said:

Putin's hysterical rants sound exactly like his partner's, Donald Trump.  They are taking on each others psychotic behaviour.

 

 

Rubbish. What is an invasion, if not confrontational?? 

[Cameroni]

2 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

 

In what way was Russia threatened, either in 2014 or 2022?

 

If you look at the geography of Russia, most of its territory is the great European plains. These are impossible to defend, virtually. Before the fall of the USSR when Russia controlled Ukraine and the other republics it controlled territory right up to the starting point of the great European plains.

 

However, with the fall of the USSR and the subsequent enlargement of NATO, in particular the threatened accession of Ukraine to NATO, in reality NATO forces would then have moved closer to about 300 km from the nearest big Russian city. NATO would have controlled big swathes of these European plains. It would have become impossible to defend Russia.

 

Therefore when it became clear that NATO intended to welcome Ukraine into its fold, this was a major threat to Russian security. If Russia continued to hope to resist any invasion from the West it had to expand eastwards.

[nauseus]

43 minutes ago, Dcheech said:

 

you guys ?   Anything more specific? 

 Malaysia Flight was 17 shot down in 2014 by Russian forces, disguised as Russian Ukrainian forces. I made sure not to book any airline flying over Russia or The Ukraine airspace, after that. More expensive in a few cases, sure, but its my cash. Even back then Putins true mind set was easy to see,

 

Or was it pro Russian Ukrainian separatists disguised as Russian forces?