France rules out nothing if Russian fighter jets enter European airspace

ISTANBUL

French President Emmanuel Macron said that they will rule out nothing if a Russian fighter jet enters European airspace.

"In line with the doctrine of strategic ambiguity, I can tell you that nothing is off the table," Macron said during an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper on Wednesday when asked whether he would support shooting down a Russian fighter jet if it entered European airspace without authorization.

Macron noted that they underestimated Russia, stressing that it is the ‘greatest structural threat to Europeans,’ citing interference in election campaigns, cyberattacks, assassinations of opponents, and the spread of false information.

"We are naive if we do not recognize that the Russian secret army is spreading into our democracies. It is made up of those small anonymous warriors we call digital bots. They manipulate democracy in France, Germany, and across Europe," he said.

When asked about the European Commission's proposal to unlock frozen Russian assets for a “reparations loan” to Ukraine, Macron warned that the assets cannot simply be confiscated, as that would violate international law.

Macron also reaffirmed that he will deliver a speech in early 2026 on France’s nuclear doctrine, which is currently being updated, following a question about the strengthening of air-based nuclear deterrence.

"The French nuclear umbrella exists. I am currently working on updating our doctrine, and I want to continue deepening our strategic dialogue with the Europeans who wish to engage," he said.