Moscow denounces the risks of the French nuclear initiative after Finland joins as the tenth European partner

Russia believes France’s initiative on “advanced nuclear deterrence” creates risks to its security, Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said Tuesday during the ministry’s weekly press conference. Moscow’s reaction came after Finland decided to join the project, becoming the initiative’s tenth European partner since it was launched by French President Emmanuel Macron at the beginning of the year.

Zakharova described the move as “reckless” and argued that the deployment of French nuclear weapons closer to Russia’s borders would make them easier to strike in the event of a conflict. The Russian official also rejected what she called the “myth of a Russian threat” and urged Western states to take Moscow’s warnings seriously.

France and Finland announced Monday that they would establish a nuclear coordination group in the coming months to put the cooperation into practice. Estonia, another country bordering Russia, said it was discussing possible participation with Paris.

The initiative seeks the voluntary involvement of European states through exercises and strategic consultations, without transferring the final decision on the use of nuclear weapons. France is, alongside the United Kingdom, one of Europe’s two nuclear powers.