Manfred Weber (CSU), a Member of the European Parliament, and chair of the European People’s Party (EVP), has called for a radical rethinking of European defense policy among partner nations. He emphasized that Europe must achieve genuine sovereignty and be capable of defending itself. Speaking to the media, the CSU politician declared, “No other power can threaten Europe with a stronger weapon than the one we possess ourselves. Europe must become nuclear” adding that only with european nuclear capabilities can a European defense be established long-term.
Weber noted that the region faces immense global geopolitical transformations, citing the recent comments of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly questioned NATO’s security guarantee and transparently linked economic interests to security issues. Given the tremendous military pressure facing Ukraine, Weber stated that their current strategy cannot rely merely on hoping for the best.
Consequently, Weber advised making use of France’s offer of atomic cooperation. The EVP leader stressed the importance of engaging with Emmanuel Macron’s proposal, calling it a “real opportunity for Europe”. However, he warned that any change in the political landscape of France necessitates the Europeanization of French nuclear weapons. To achieve this, he argued that control over both nuclear and non-nuclear capabilities must be established on a broad, unified basis. Therefore, he concluded by outlining the necessary steps: creating a shared situation assessment, joint command structures, and common funding. Ultimately, this is about establishing a true European nuclear umbrella.