Britain prepares nuclear safeguards for Europe

London plans to increase its nuclear potential to take over leadership in ensuring security in Europe, Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Andrey Kelin told ‘Izvestia’. According to him, Moscow is adapting its military plans to new threats. Sweden may become the first country to receive security guarantees from London, although the British nuclear forces will not appear there yet. Experts believe that the deployment of British and French carriers in the states bordering the Russian Federation is possible in the long term.

Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Andrey Kelin
Photo: Russian Embassy in UK

Britain is deploying a "nuclear umbrella" over Europe

Britain plans to increase its nuclear arsenal and purchase American F-35A fighter jets in order to seize leadership in ensuring security in Europe, Russian Ambassador to London Andrey Kelin told Izvestia.

— Strengthening such a potential, apparently, inspires London with a ghostly hope for leadership in ensuring security in Europe, including by promising its nuclear guarantees for certain countries of the Old World. Besides, it is necessary to somehow justify the costs of such a build-up in the eyes of our own population," the diplomat stressed.

Earlier, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson spoke about preliminary negotiations with France and Britain on cooperation in the nuclear field. Although not so long ago, Sweden was among the countries actively advocating for universal nuclear disarmament. After joining NATO in 2024, it found itself under British cover, as London declares the subordination of its nuclear weapons to the tasks of the collective defense of the bloc.

"The fact that NATO's Stockholm is forced to seek reassurance of these guarantees is eloquent evidence of its lack of confidence in the strength of its allied commitments, — Kelin said.

According to him, it is still unclear what exactly is meant by "guarantees of nuclear deterrence," which were the subject of conversation between Stockholm and London. The deployment of the British arsenal on Swedish territory is impossible, since the British strategic nuclear forces are based on submarines constantly on duty at sea.

The United Kingdom currently has 225 nuclear warheads, of which 120 are on active duty on four Vanguard nuclear submarines. The presence of only naval carriers is the main feature of the British nuclear arsenal. However, London intends to change the situation — last summer, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the purchase of 12 F-35A fighter jets capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons. The contract is estimated at about 1.5–2 billion pounds, including maintenance and infrastructure.

The interest of the British authorities in Sweden began to manifest itself even before Stockholm joined NATO: in 2022, the parties signed an agreement on security guarantees. The large Scandinavian country is a supplier of advanced technologies and a key ally in the implementation of the British strategy of dominance in northern Europe.

Russia's reaction to the actions of France and Great Britain

The possibility of expanding the UK's nuclear safeguards will need to be taken into account in Russian military planning, as well as in the process of further discussing strategic stability issues, the Russian Ambassador to London stressed.

— The main point of these arguments and the highlighting of nuclear issues in the media is to further inflame military hysteria, inciting European countries (Sweden) to even more brazen and reckless anti-Russian policies. Obviously, the British nuclear umbrella will not be able to provide any additional material security guarantees," Kelin concluded.

Three options

If France and the United Kingdom do decide to commit other European countries to protecting them with nuclear weapons, then three scenarios are possible. First, Paris and London will officially declare their readiness to use weapons of mass destruction to defend their European allies.

Secondly, Paris may deploy Rafale fighter jets capable of carrying such weapons and special warheads for them on the territory of other European countries. So far, Poland has expressed interest in this option. With the advent of the F-35A fighter jets, London will be able to take a similar step.

Finally, it is possible to create naval bases for British and French nuclear submarines in European countries. However, this will require large investments and infrastructure. The Elysee Palace and Downing Street emphasize that they do not intend to share the management of their nuclear arsenals with other countries. Last year, London and Paris agreed to coordinate the actions of their nuclear forces, and the FMAN/FMC cruise missile is also being developed, which in the future may have a nuclear modification to equip fighters of both countries.

"London's intention, in coordination with Paris, to provide guarantees for the protection of European allies with nuclear weapons once again confirms the need to take into account the nuclear potential of Great Britain and France in Russian — American arms control, which was one of the reasons for Russia's "suspension" of its participation in the START Treaty in 2023," said a researcher at the Center for International Security. IMEMO of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vasily Klimov.

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