Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service has accused the European Union of allegedly planning to develop nuclear weapons, claiming the move is driven by “Russophobia.”
Details
Ilke News Agency reported this. According to the outlet, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) claimed that EU leadership is secretly exploring the possibility of creating nuclear weapons. Russian officials described the alleged plans as an act of “madness” fueled by what they called “pathological Russophobia.”
On April 8, the SVR press bureau said officials in Brussels had launched closed-door discussions on developing a European nuclear arsenal. According to the agency, the goal is to counter what it described as a “mythical Russian threat.”
At the same time, Russian intelligence warned that such an initiative could undermine global security and the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. It also framed the alleged plans as part of a broader EU strategy resembling a new “march to the East.”
“Ursula von der Leyen and her accomplices find the role of instigators of the Ukrainian conflict too modest. They dream of the sinister glory of the leaders of Hitler’s Germany, who unleashed the Second World War,” the SVR said.
The agency also claimed that the EU is conducting early-stage preparations under strict secrecy to gain time and shape public opinion. According to Russian sources, the UK and France are coordinating their nuclear doctrines to formalize a pan-European deterrence policy. In addition, the SVR said Brussels is keeping the option open to create autonomous European command structures for nuclear forces.
Role of the international community
Russian officials also claimed that the EU relies on other countries’ experience in nuclear development. They mentioned Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Spain. The SVR further alleged that Germany could produce enough plutonium for one nuclear device within a month.
Russia’s intelligence service called on the US administration and governments worldwide to prevent the EU from developing nuclear weapons. The outlet noted that these accusations come amid ongoing discussions in Europe about strengthening collective defense and deterrence. They occur particularly in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
However, there is no independent confirmation of the SVR’s claims. Western officials have previously dismissed similar statements by Russian intelligence as unfounded or part of information operations, the report added. So far, the European Commission and EU member states have not issued an official response to the allegations.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that Estonia had officially decided not to detain vessels from Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” in its territorial waters. The country’s navy cited a high risk of direct military confrontation with Russia.
