German official urges for EU nuclear arsenal to enhance deterrence against Russia
Date
12/4/2023 7:14:42 AM
(MENAFN) Joschka Fischer, a former Foreign Minister of Germany, has contended that the European Union should establish its own nuclear arsenal to enhance deterrence against Russia. The retired official has additionally cautioned that the bloc must be capable of asserting itself independently should its relations with the United States become less amicable.
In the previous month, Czech President Petr Pavel expressed that NATO views Moscow as the primary threat, with the US-led military alliance gearing up for a significant conflict. Russian leaders, including President Vladimir Putin, have consistently emphasized their perception of NATO's eastward expansion as a threat to the country's security.
Joschka Fischer persisted in an interview with a news outlet, broadcasted on Sunday, that “we must restore our deterrence capability” taking into account Russia’s actions in Ukraine. He also mentioned that Europe cannot afford to allow Moscow to succeed in Ukraine, emphasizing that the ongoing conflict holds "crucial importance" for the continent's future.
Joschka Fischer, who served as foreign minister and vice chancellor from 1998 to 2005 and played a pivotal role in the establishment of the German Green Party, has a notable political history. In 1999, during his tenure as Berlin's top diplomat and leader of the Green Party, he supported NATO's bombing campaign against Yugoslavia. Subsequently, in 2011, he endorsed the intervention of German troops in Afghanistan.
When questioned by the news agency about his perspective on whether Germany should possess nuclear weapons, the former politician responded in the negative, suggesting that it should be the European Union instead. He also expressed the view that the nuclear arsenals of France and Britain were no longer sufficient to guarantee European security.
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