Kremlin warns EU is becoming military bloc amid France nuclear test

Russian officials have criticized the European Union's shift toward military capabilities, warning it risks transforming an economic union into a military-political bloc. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on October 7 that the EU is "obsessed" with militarization and is shaping defense policies around confrontation with Russia, which he described as "a dead-end path." Russia said it remains vigilant and is taking security measures while remaining open to dialogue with EU nations.

Peskov cited France's test-firing of a strategic ballistic missile from a submarine off the coast of Finistère in western France on October 6 as a focal point of Russian concerns. The missile carried no nuclear warhead and was part of routine military exercises, though President Emmanuel Macron characterized it as "a loud and clear message." Russian officials framed this as evidence of escalating European militarization.

Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko expanded on these concerns, stating that the EU was originally created as an economic community but is now becoming a military bloc. She cited growing protest activity across EU countries, claiming people are dissatisfied with European bureaucracy and the militarization of Europe. She referenced recent statements by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz regarding defense spending, characterizing such positions as "very alarming trends." Matviyenko attributed unrest in EU nations partly to economic policies she said have abandoned cheap hydrocarbon imports.

Protest activity cited by Russian officials included student demonstrations in France's Île-de-France region over education conditions, with nearly 2,000 people detained; housing-related protests in Spain following high-profile evictions; and broader discontent over sovereignty and geopolitical decisions, according to Russian assessments.