Russia has issued a strong warning to European nations considering hosting French nuclear-capable aircraft, saying such moves could make them potential military targets during any future conflict.
The warning follows remarks by Emmanuel Macron, who announced in March that France plans to expand its nuclear arsenal and may allow European allies to temporarily host nuclear-capable aircraft as part of broader defence cooperation.
Responding to the proposal, Alexander Grushko said Moscow views the move as part of what he described as an “uncontrolled build-up” of nuclear strength within NATO, which Russia considers a direct strategic threat.
Moscow Says Hosting Nations Could Become Targets
Speaking to Russian state media, Grushko warned that any country accepting French nuclear-capable bombers could face serious consequences in the event of war.
He said Russia’s military would be forced to closely monitor developments and revise its list of priority targets if such deployments go ahead. According to him, instead of strengthening defence among allies, the French initiative could actually weaken the security of participating nations.
France has reportedly been in discussions with several European partners, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden and Denmark about hosting these aircraft on temporary deployments.
Europe Seeking Greater Defence Independence
France’s proposal is part of a wider push among European members of NATO to assume greater responsibility for their own defence capabilities. This shift has been influenced partly by repeated criticism of NATO from Donald Trump and his calls for European nations to invest more heavily in security.
Growing tensions across Europe have also intensified amid global conflicts, including the war in Ukraine and escalating hostilities involving Iran, raising concerns about regional stability.
Global Arms Control Concerns Deepen
The situation has been further complicated by the expiration of the last remaining treaty limiting strategic nuclear arsenals held by Russia and the United States earlier this year. The absence of such agreements has created uncertainty in global arms control frameworks at a time when geopolitical tensions are already high.
Grushko indicated that any future negotiations on nuclear weapons would need to factor in the combined capabilities of NATO members, including the nuclear forces of France, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Meanwhile, NATO recently criticised both Russia and China over their nuclear policies and urged greater transparency during discussions linked to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference scheduled at the United Nations headquarters in New York.