Russian military planners will respond to France's new forward nuclear deterrence strategy, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has said

Russia will respond to efforts by European NATO members to build up their nuclear war capacity, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has told TASS.

The Russian diplomat was referring to the new "forward nuclear deterrence strategy" unveiled by French President Emmanuel Macron in March. Under the plan, France aims to expand its atomic arsenal and move its nuclear weapons to other European NATO states as part of "circumstantial deployments."

"Paris' false slogans about strengthening its allies' security are leading to exactly the opposite [results]," Ryabkov said. Nations that would host French nuclear weapons on their territory would come "under closer scrutiny of our military responsible for strategic deterrence," he stated, adding that "the general security level of those nations would... not increase."

Moscow "cannot ignore an obvious buildup of the nuclear component of NATO's joint potential," the deputy foreign minister stated.

Last month, Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced deepening military cooperation, citing the alleged 'Russian threat'. The French president did not rule out deploying nuclear-capable aircraft to Polish territory. A few days later, Polish media reported that Warsaw and Paris were planning joint military exercises involving simulated conventional and nuclear strikes on Russia and Belarus.

In March, the Finnish government also announced it would seek to amend the national legislation to allow for importing and hosting nuclear devices for "defense purposes." The Kremlin warned at the time that the step would only lead to an escalation of tensions and prompt a response from Russia.

Ryabkov described both the potential French-Polish drills and the Finnish government's plans as "elements of a general process of accelerated militarization of Europe openly aimed against our country."

Moscow has stated that it has no intention of attacking any NATO nation, but warned that it would aim its nuclear arsenal at countries hosting such weapons directed at Russia.