Trump weakens NATO s nuclear security in Europe

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A new day in Europe has been broken. The unshakable years of American engagement to protect Europe from Russia seem to be the past. While Donald Trump in the white house, the relationship is increasingly shaped by a transactional approach. The challenges are higher than ever.

Europe's defense strategies in focus

US Vice President

The role of France and Great Britain

If the United States traditionally are considered Europe's big brother, then France and the United Kingdom are important nuclear powers. Some European leaders wonder whether the ultimate deterrent against Moscow could not be found in more detail on the home country. Most of the nuclear weapons existed worldwide are the most owned by the United States or Russia, but France has around 290 nuclear explosive heads, while the United Kingdom has 225 trident rockets developed by the USA.

In the past few weeks, a large number of European leaders have made comments to strengthen the joint defense under a British or French nuclear protective shield because Washington's reliability seems to fluctuate. French President Emmanuel Macron recently promised to "open the strategic debate about the protection of our allies on the European continent through our deterrent".

reactions from Europe

Macron's statements came after the expected Next Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz , Talks with France and the United Kingdom had requested an expansion of their nuclear protection. The Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that the French proposal was "not new" and had already been discussed several times. Other heads of state from countries that are historically against nuclear weapons, such as Sweden and Denmark, welcomed France to cooperation.

French nuclear sovereignty

since General Charles de Gaulle set up France's nuclear power in the late 1950s to keep Paris at the center of global decision -making, the French program proudly recorded its sovereignty. It is described as "French from start to finish". Historian Yannick Pincé from the French interdisciplinary Center for Strategic Studies (Ciens) noted that France had wanted to bring other European allies under his nuclear protection for decades.

The challenges of a European nuclear umbrella

The British military has so far not given a public official promise to pass on or change its nuclear protection. Even if the British nuclear weapons are subject to the NATO command dominated by the USA, they already offer strategic protection for European allies. However, some guides continue to hope for increased support from the United States. On Thursday, Polish President Andrzej Duda Trump called on the US atom weapons in Poland, which he compared to Russia's decision to station some of his own nuclear missiles in Belarus.

French nuclear capacities in comparison

Although France does not have the same level of nuclear violence as Russia, it has developed its own strategy to threaten strategic retaliation. "France can only threaten strategic retaliation," said Pincé, "by hitting the opponent very strongly to act as a deterrent." Historically, the French atomic arsenal was intended as the last option, should Russia be a threat to the French home country during the Cold War.

call for nuclear discussion in Europe

However, some European countries do not have the necessary "nuclear culture". They assume that the United States will be responsible. Macron has proposed that allies take part in the secret nuclear exercises in France in order to get an idea of ​​France's skills and decision -making processes. But he unequivocally made it clear that he would not be given the "nuclear button" to allies or even hand over to Brussels. The decision to trigger a nuclear blow "is always in my hands," he emphasized in a national speech.

The role of NATO and other developments

This week a nuclear-capable US bomber was flown over the central Stockholm to celebrate Sweden's one-year access to NATO-a highly symbolic step. A report by the Federation of American Scientists pointed out that there are "growing evidence from three years of documentation and observations", which indicate that the United States is planning to plant nuclear weapons back to its main air -air base in the United Kingdom for over 15 years. CNN asked the US Department of Defense for a comment.

Europe's nuclear arsenal compared to Russia

Indeed, Europe's arsenal cannot be compared to the moscow. The establishment of a European nuclear arsenal would "have decades and developments" years, if not decades ", as Kulesa explained by Rusi. However, deterrence does not only depend on the number of rockets; The surgical credibility of the European nuclear forces must also be proven. A more coherent cooperation with allies around nuclear forces would be a strong contribution to deterrent.

In summary, it becomes clear that, in order to deter Russia effectively, both conventional and nuclear forces are necessary. However, the question remains whether you can count on the commitment and participation of the Americans under Trump.

Report by CNNS Serene Nourisson.