France says ‘ready to defend its partners at their request’ amid Mideast escalation

ISTANBUL

France stands ready to defend its regional partners if formally requested, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Tuesday, stressing that any action would be “proportionate” and in line with international law, as tensions escalate in the Middle East.

“I said yesterday, and what the president of the republic reiterated, is that France stands ready to defend its partners at their request, in a proportionate manner, and obviously in accordance with the principles of collective self-defense, which is a principle of international law,” Barrot told RMC and BFM TV.

He underlined that France is not automatically involved in the conflict triggered by Israeli and US strikes on Iran and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation.

Regarding the hangar at a French base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) struck by a drone, Barrot said: “We cannot have the certainty that France was explicitly targeted,” he said.

“The situation is serious enough not to rush to conclusions," he added.

He also confirmed that French Rafale fighter jets stationed in the UAE had carried out airspace security operations over French facilities, saying their mission was “to ensure the security of our installations.”

Barrot said France maintains defense agreements with countries, including the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, and that “exchanges are very frequent, at all levels, diplomatic and military.”

He noted that around 400,000 French nationals reside across a dozen countries affected by the crisis, including both long-term residents and temporary visitors.

Macron's 'advanced deterrence'

Turning to France’s nuclear policy, Barrot described Macron’s latest address as “a historic speech” marking “a new step in our deterrence, which is a national treasure and will remain independent and French from beginning to end.”

“The assessment of our vital interests belongs solely to the president of the republic,” he said.

He said France would “strengthen” its deterrence by increasing its arsenal, while also launching new forms of cooperation with European partners under what Macron called an “advanced deterrence.”

“Conceivably, nuclear weapons could be located in Germany, for example, or at least military capabilities could be dispersed in such a way as to complicate an adversary’s calculations,” Barrot said.

However, he stressed that ultimate authority would remain in Paris.

“If one day Germany were to say, ‘We are under threat, we must activate the bomb,’ we could still say no,” he said. “It is the president of the republic who will sovereignly determine whether France’s vital interests are concerned.”

“This deterrence will remain entirely financed by France,” he added.