Russian intelligence reports that secret work has begun within the European Union to explore methods for establishing its own nuclear weapons production capabilities, with the stated aim of deterring the Russian threat. According to the report, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed to ensure these preparations are conducted with the utmost possible secrecy.
The report added that to distract international and European public opinion, Brussels continues to demonstrate its commitment to traditional policies based on reliance on the US nuclear umbrella. The EU leadership expects this approach to buy time to secretly develop its own nuclear capabilities and prepare public opinion for a political decision to possess nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, according to the Russian intelligence document, Britain and France are increasingly coordinating their nuclear doctrines. They are expected to formalize a comprehensive European nuclear deterrent strategy based on their military capabilities, supplemented by financial and infrastructure contributions from member states, while retaining the option to establish an independent command for nuclear forces.
The statement emphasized that European plans are based on an industrial and technical foundation, noting that Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Spain possess expertise in developing nuclear weapon components. According to the same source, European countries store large quantities of spent nuclear fuel from decommissioned power plants, which can be secretly extracted from storage sites to use plutonium for the production of atomic bombs. Finally, the Russian intelligence agency called on the United States and all countries to prevent the European Union from building its nuclear weapons system to avoid igniting a new nuclear arms race.
