France Plans To Deploy Armed Fighter Jets In Germany If US Withdraws Troops From Europe
JAKARTA - France will likely deploy nuclear-armed fighter jets in Germany if the United States (US) withdraws its troops from Europe.
According to The Telegraph, France is ready to use its nuclear powers to protect Europe. However, an official proposal will be submitted if PresidentDonald Trump actually withdraws US troops from Germany.
A French official whose name was not named told The Telegraph that this move would "send a message to (Russian President) Vladimir Putin" and pressure the UK to take similar action.
As reported by ANTARA from Sputnik-OANA, Tuesday, February 25, France's nuclear power is independent of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), while Britain's nuclear weapons are part of the alliance's defense strategy.
Friedrich Merz, a German chancellor and leader of the Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Unity (CDU/CSU) bloc who won the Bundestag election on Sunday, said Europe could no longer rely on the US for defense.
He called on France and Britain to start negotiations related to nuclear defense.
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Meanwhile, Russian Senator Alexei Pushkov criticized Merz's proposal by calling it an unreasonable act.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized European countries for their low defense contribution to NATO and demanded that all members increase their defense budget by up to five percent of GDP.
However, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that Washington currently has no plans to reduce its military presence in Europe.