French President Emmanuel Macron calls on Europe to stand together and act together.Image: keystone
Feb 13, 2026, 9:47 p.mFeb 13, 2026, 9:47 p.m
At the Munich Security Conference, French President Emmanuel Macron called for Europe to become a “geopolitical power” and promised further talks on nuclear deterrence. In order to become more independent from the major powers, one must deliver all the components of a geopolitical power, he said in a speech. In addition to defense, this also included areas such as technology.
Macron emphasized that he was not talking about France or Germany having to become a power, but about Europe. You have to think and act as a European, he said. “That’s what we have to do now.”
With a view to the US-led negotiations about a possible end to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, Macron called for Europe to appear much more self-confident and prepare for the period afterwards. It is important that the Europeans have to negotiate this new security architecture for the period after the Ukraine war because the geography will not change, he said. “We will live in the same place with Russia and Europe will be in the same place,” he said. He did not want these negotiations to be organized by anyone other than the Europeans.
On the subject of nuclear deterrence, Macron said that in order to be credible in the dialogue with Russia, nuclear deterrence must also be readjusted. That’s why work is already being done on the topic and he will explain this in more detail in a few weeks.
Macron pointed out that he had already started a strategic dialogue with Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European heads of state and government. The aim is to connect the French national nuclear weapons concept with other countries through special cooperation, joint exercises and common security interests. With Germany this is being done “for the first time in history,” said Macron.
France has been the only remaining nuclear power in the EU since Great Britain left on January 31, 2020. According to the peace research institute Sipri, the country has 290 of the world’s approximately 12,200 nuclear weapons, making it the fourth largest nuclear power after Russia, the USA and China. (sda/dpa)