UK rebukes Macron for saying France won't trade nuclear strikes with Russia over Ukraine

The revelation by the President of France, Emmanual Macron over the country’s stance on the non-use of nuclear weapons in the raging conflict between Russia and Ukraine prompted criticism from UK’s Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.

President Macron stated on Thursday that Paris would not use nuclear weapons amid the Ukraine crisis even if Moscow used them against Kyiv, stated Sputnik. Commenting on Macron’s statement, the UK Defense Secretary chided Macron for a premature reveal of France's stance over the war in Ukraine, even if in response to a hypothetical Russian attack.

Commenting on Macron's statement at a NATO ministerial meeting, Wallace said, "It reveals President Macron's hand,” reported Sputnik.

Macron’s statement threatens the ‘principles of deterrence’

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) further criticized President Macron's statement saying that it threatened "the principles of deterrence,” reported Sputnik. The NATO source further stated to Sputnik that the organization, in turn, does not “go into details on scenarios."

Meanwhile, the European Union and NATO have ramped up the rhetoric alleging that Moscow plans to use nuclear weapons against Kyiv amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, states Sputnik. In retaliation, Moscow has slammed the allegations while stating that it would only use nuclear weapons under the conditions outlined in Russia’s constitution.

Russia’s nuclear rhetoric

Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian Federation had previously threatened the use of nuclear weapons citing the blackmail by NATO and the West when he had announced the nation’s partial military mobilization on September 21.

Moreover, the former President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev had previously said, “Let's imagine that Russia is forced to use the most fearsome weapon against the Ukrainian regime” while accusing Kyiv of committing a “large-scale act of aggression” against the Russian Federation that posed a threat to the very existence of the nation. Medvedev, who is also the Deputy Secretary of Russia’s security council had made remarks which quoted the exact terminology of one of the conditions of Moscow's nuclear strike doctrine: “aggression against the Russian Federation involving the use of conventional weapons when the very existence of the state is under threat”.

Meanwhile, Josep Borrell, the EU foreign policy chief promised a "powerful answer from the military side" to Russia if the country conducted a nuclear strike against Ukraine. Borell made the remarks on Thursday, while speaking at the opening of the European Diplomatic Academy in Bruges, reported Sputnik.