PRAGUE, April 20 (Reuters) - The Czech Republic is interested in discussing possible involvement in a French plan to extend nuclear deterrence, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Monday. French
Czech Republic Seeks Participation in French Nuclear Deterrence Plan Amid EU Talks
Overview of Czech Republic's Interest in French Nuclear Deterrence
Initial Statements from Czech Leadership
PRAGUE, April 20 (Reuters) - The Czech Republic is interested in discussing possible involvement in a French plan to extend nuclear deterrence, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Monday.
French Nuclear Expansion and European Cooperation
French President Emmanuel Macron said in March that France will expand its nuclear arsenal and strengthen its deterrent with an unprecedented cooperation with European partners.
Czech Republic’s Position and Potential Contributions
Babis said the Czechs - a non-nuclear NATO member - were interested in discussing involvement in the plan, which would however take some time.
Details of Czech Involvement
"We are interested in these initiatives and we have to discuss the details and seek some involvement," he told a news conference, saying the Czech Republic had capable companies and army to contribute.
Public Statements and European Alliances
Babis said in a video message on Facebook on Sunday that he wanted to join the French initiative, and that France was an ideal European ally.
Broader European Context
Germany has established a nuclear steering group on deterrence issues, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said Poland was in talks with France and other European allies on the matter.
Transatlantic Security and U.S. Role
Though France and Britain are both nuclear powers, most European countries have relied primarily on the United States for deterring any potential adversaries — a decades-old pillar of transatlantic security.
Czech-U.S. Relations
Babis said the Czech Republic still considered the United States as an ally, which would not change.
(Reporting by Jan Lopatka)
