Starmer Asserts UK Opposition to Further Nuclearization of Europe

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated that the UK is against the spread of nuclear weapons.

Starmer Asserts UK Opposition to Further Nuclearization of Europe
France has proposed the potential sharing of its nuclear arms with EU member states.

The UK has expressed its opposition to the spread of nuclear weapons, as reiterated by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, amid ongoing discussions on the distribution of such weapons to other European nations.

In a recent televised address, French President Emmanuel Macron suggested the extension of France’s nuclear umbrella to other EU member states, motivated by concerns over a possible US withdrawal from Europe. Macron characterized Russia as a “threat to France and Europe,” provoking a response from Moscow, which accused him of harboring aggressive intentions.

Starmer emphasized that the UK—alongside France as the only other Western European nation with nuclear capabilities—will resist any push to distribute nuclear arms to other countries. “On the question of nuclear weapons, obviously our position is that we will do everything we can to prevent any increase in the availability of nuclear weapons,” he remarked during a press conference on Saturday when addressing concerns about other nations pursuing nuclear capabilities.

In related news, Polish President Andrzej Duda has advocated for the relocation of US nuclear weapons to Poland under NATO's nuclear-sharing initiative. In an interview with the Financial Times, he noted that several states within the US-led military alliance currently host American nuclear weapons, including Germany, Italy, Belgium, Türkiye, and the Netherlands.

US Vice President J. D. Vance expressed skepticism about President Donald Trump’s willingness to deploy nuclear weapons further east in Europe, saying he would be “shocked.” He added that people like former President Joe Biden are “sleepily walking us into a nuclear conflict,” referencing Duda’s request during his appearance on Fox News.

Commenting on Macron's suggestion regarding a French nuclear-sharing arrangement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov labeled the French president's statements a “threat” to Russia. Lavrov asserted that if European leaders view Moscow as a threat and are openly discussing their readiness to use nuclear arms against it, “we regard this as a threat,” underscoring the heightened tensions.

Olivia Brown for TROIB News