French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that France will consider extending the protection of its nuclear arsenal to its allies and that Europe needed to be ready for the US not to be ‘by our side’ in the Russia-Ukraine war.

France is open to discussing extending the protection offered by its nuclear arsenal to its European partners, President Emmanuel Macron said in a grave address to the nation on Wednesday, in which he warned that Europe must face up to the threat from Russia.

In a television address tonight, he said the world was entering a 'new era' and a 'global conflict' was already underway.