Russia will respond to France’s nuclear buildup, envoy tells UN

Russia has prepared measures to respond to any expansion of France’s nuclear arsenal, Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, has stated.

He said that in the event of full implementation of the aforementioned plans by France and other NATO countries, Russia has, without a doubt, prepared appropriate response measures to ensure the security of the Russian state and its people, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

In March, French President Emmanuel Macron said in a speech on nuclear deterrence policy that France needed to tighten its doctrine in response to emerging threats.

He also ordered an expansion of France’s nuclear weapons stockpile.

Denmark and Poland also joined the initiative.

Last week, Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said it was "an exclusive group made up of countries who understand the need for European sovereignty."

"We live in a world in which we need nuclear dissuasion capacities," the PM noted.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov