PARIS — European countries should buy French warplanes instead of U.S. ones to benefit from France’s new nuclear deterrent initiative, far-right leader Jordan Bardella said on Thursday evening.
“Before asking France to extend its nuclear umbrella, our European partners must stop buying [American-made] F-35s and start buying Rafales instead,” he told French broadcaster LCI.
Despite making that demand, he did underline that France should stick with the nuclear doctrine developed by former President Charles de Gaulle “that France’s vital interests do not end at its borders.”
Bardella, who leads the National Rally alongside Marine Le Pen, is leading in opinion polls ahead of next year’s election for the French presidency. His comments echo a similar — although less explicit — warning made by Le Pen.
Eight European countries — Germany, Poland, Greece, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and Norway — are discussing nuclear cooperation with France under an initiative pushed by French President Emmanuel Macron. That includes joint nuclear drills, information sharing and, potentially, temporary deployment of French nuclear-capable Rafale fighter jets in allied countries.
While Bardella didn’t object to the European dimension of France’s vital interests, demanding that allied countries ditch the F-35 would likely limit enthusiasm in the French nuclear initiative. Seven of the eight countries in talks with France have procured the advanced Lockheed Martin jet, although Greece does also operate Rafales. Sweden has its own Gripen jets.
Other European customers for the French fighter include Croatia and Serbia.