Home » Starmer and Macron Prepare Nuclear Coalition: How Europe's Defense Will Change

Starmer and Macron Prepare Nuclear Coalition: How Europe's Defense Will Change

by alex

Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron agree historic nuclear co-operation amid threats to Europe.

Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will announce a new defence deal on Thursday that for the first time will see the two countries coordinating the use of their nuclear arsenals in the event of a serious threat to European allies.

The New York Times writes about this.

The British Ministry of Defence said it was a matter of principle that no critical threat to Europe would go unanswered by Paris and London.

The statement is set to be released at the end of Macron's three-day state visit to the UK, including a visit to a military base outside London. Both leaders stress that such a message is important in the context of Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.

Alongside the security guarantees, Starmer and Macron are also expected to unveil a renewed deal to jointly tackle illegal migration across the Channel, with one aim being to reduce the number of small boats that bring migrants to Britain.

Observers say the proposed nuclear partnership is not a formal guarantee of security for Europe, but it signals a rapprochement between the military and political positions of France and the UK, the continent's only nuclear powers. Europe has previously relied heavily on the US nuclear shield, but Donald Trump's return to power and his criticism of aid to Ukraine are forcing the allies to reconsider their strategic priorities.

Speaking to the British parliament on Tuesday, Macron stressed that the two countries must work together to defend the multilateral order and international stability. He called for coordinated efforts within a coalition of the willing to support Ukraine, given that the Trump administration has distanced itself from military aid to Kyiv.

Macron and Starmer also plan to hold a conference call with leaders of countries in the coalition on Thursday to coordinate next steps.

London and Paris are paying special attention to the issue of migration. After Brexit, the UK lost access to the European Migration Agreement, as well as to databases, which made it difficult to identify migrants and return them to their countries of first entry. Attempts to conclude bilateral agreements with individual EU countries have so far largely failed.

Wednesday was a day of heated rhetoric in Parliament. Reform Party leader Nigel Farage accused Starmer of giving in to French demands and called for a ban on illegal migrants from France. The prime minister responded that such rhetoric does not solve problems, but only exacerbates disagreements with partners.

Despite political tensions, small boats remain the main route for illegal crossings of the Channel, and both countries are trying to find mechanisms to reduce the flow of people without violating humanitarian obligations.

Earlier it was reported that the British government is bringing back the air component of the nuclear deterrent for the first time in almost 30 years. This involves purchasing certified F-35As.

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