The latest launch by Russia of the “Oreshnik” missile against Ukraine sends a very clear signal, as the whole of Europe is within reach of such long‑range strikes.
French President Emmanuel Macron said this on Thursday during an address to the French armed forces.
“We have now witnessed for the second time Russia launching an ultra‑long‑range missile called ‘Oreshnik’ against Ukraine. This launch is a very clear signal from a state that possesses nuclear weapons. This message should be understood even by those who believe that Russia is an issue that does not concern us,” he stressed.
According to Macron, “we are all within the range of such strikes,” and therefore France, together with its partners, must immediately develop long‑range capabilities.
“If we want to remain credible, we Europeans—and France in particular—must take up the development of these new types of weapons that will change the balance of power in the short term. And together with our German and British partners, we must move decisively forward in developing the capability to strike at very great depth, which will strengthen our credibility and support our nuclear deterrence,” the French president explained.
Macron also emphasized that his country is currently far behind Ukraine in the introduction of unmanned systems across all branches of the armed forces.
“We have seen the pace of innovation and acceleration on the Ukrainian battlefield, and, let’s be honest, we are behind. The Ukrainians have made an extraordinary innovative breakthrough because partners from other countries were faster than us. Today, on European territory, there is already production that is better and more large‑scale than ours. So let us respond quickly and decisively,” he urged.
