Moscow said today that France's plan to expand its nuclear arsenal is a highly destabilizing step that poses a potential threat to Russia, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a plan in which his country would increase the number of its nuclear warheads, saying that other European countries would also be able to participate in French nuclear exercises. France and Germany also said they had set up a joint steering group to discuss nuclear deterrence issues.
In March 2025, Macron first announced his intention to launch a strategic dialogue to expand France's nuclear umbrella to European allies who have so far relied on US protection.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters that Macron's statement this week was an "extremely destabilizing step." The plan represents a "significant strengthening and expansion of NATO's nuclear potential, which in the event of a direct military conflict with Russia could be used in a coordinated manner against our country," she said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the move confirmed Moscow's position that French and British nuclear weapons should be part of any future negotiations on the global nuclear balance.
Russia has said it is open to such talks after the expiration of the last bilateral "New START" treaty, which limited the number of strategic nuclear warheads and missiles held by Russia and the United States.