Addressing French military personnel, Macron said Russia has used Oreshnik IRBMs against Ukraine twice and described the strikes as “a clear signal” to NATO.
“We are within range of these missiles,” he said, warning that the Russian threat must be taken seriously.
Macron urged European partners, including the UK and Germany, to join forces and develop indigenous long-range systems that can rival the Oreshnik.
“It will enhance our standing and strengthen our nuclear deterrent,” Le Monde quoted the president.
On Jan. 8, Russia launched a second Oreshnik strike on Ukraine’s Lviv Oblast, damaging infrastructure less than 50 miles from the Polish border.
A day later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that European capitals were also at risk, calling the Oreshnik strike “a challenge for Warsaw, Bucharest, and Budapest.”