Russia warns France not to ignore Russian nuclear deterrent capabilities

In a sharp-toned statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry has warned France not to ignore Russian nuclear capabilities following Paris's announcement of a new defense strategic review.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, during a press briefing, emphasized the importance for French strategic planners, amidst their military fervor, to remember that Russia possesses nuclear deterrent forces, pointing out the significance of familiarizing themselves with the updated Russian nuclear doctrine.

She added: "We advise them to temper their excessive enthusiasm and consider the consequences of their escalations".

Zakharova affirmed that Russia does not possess, and has never had, any intention to attack European Union countries or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), describing the Western allegations on this matter as "propaganda lies and nonsense".

This verbal escalation comes just weeks after the first phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron since 2022.

The conversation, which took place in early July, revealed fundamental disagreements, especially regarding the war in Ukraine, as Putin blamed the West for the ongoing conflict and reiterated Iran's right to a peaceful nuclear program.

The last officially announced call between Putin and Macron was on September 11, 2022, where the two leaders discussed developments in the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the Donbass region controlled by Moscow-backed separatists, in addition to efforts to secure a grain export deal amid the war.

It is worth noting that direct communication between the two leaders has been severed since then, with the main reason being Moscow's displeasure with Macron allowing journalists to participate in a phone call with Putin without prior notification, which Russia considered a breach of trust and conversation confidentiality.