Tensions between Russia and France have escalated after French President Emmanuel Macron labelled Moscow a threat to Europe, prompting a sharp response from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who invoked Napoleon’s historic defeat as a warning.
In a televised address on Wednesday, Macron declared that Russia posed a “threat to France and all of Europe” and revealed he was considering extending France’s nuclear umbrella to other EU nations.
The remarks have drawn strong criticism from the Kremlin, with Russian officials denouncing the speech as provocative.
Responding to Macron’s comments, Putin issued an indirect jibe, implying that the French president was a modern-day Napoleon.
“Some people still can’t get over Napoleon’s defeat by Russia,” he said. “There are still people who want to return to the times of Napoleon, but they are forgetting how it ended.”
Also read: France could extend nuclear umbrella over EU allies: Macron
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described Macron’s rhetoric as “highly confrontational”, asserting that Paris was “apparently contemplating war”.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also drew parallels between Macron and the French emperor, whose catastrophic Russian campaign ultimately led to his downfall.
The confrontation comes as European nations search for alternative security arrangements amid shifting US foreign policy under President Donald Trump.
Unlike his predecessor Joe Biden, Trump has distanced himself from efforts to isolate Moscow, refusing to solely blame Russia for the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
With growing uncertainty over America’s military commitment to Europe, Macron’s nuclear deterrence proposal has further aggravated tensions with Moscow, setting the stage for a deepening diplomatic rift between France and Russia.
Also read: Trump questions NATO’s loyalty, despite post-9/11 support
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