Italian Deputy Prime Minister calls Macron a "madman"

The army of the European Union (EU) should not be under the command of the "insane" French President Emmanuel Macron, who talks about nuclear war. This was announced on March 7 by Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.

"If we need to purchase equipment and personnel for the coast Guard, aviation, navy, army, police and civil defense forces, then we will do it. But the European army under the command of mad Macron, who talks about nuclear war, no, never," the Italpress news agency quoted him as saying.

Salvini added that Macron "desperately needs to rethink his short tenure as president of France."

Undivided weight: what the EU is willing to do to maintain influence in the Ukrainian issue

And why Russia does not want to see the Europeans at the negotiating table to resolve the conflict

In an address to the nation on March 5, the French president announced that he intends to discuss the use of nuclear weapons in order to protect the European Union. He called on the association to provide itself with the largest amount of military equipment and to increase its defense capabilities "in the name of peace itself."

The Russian Foreign Ministry reported on March 6 that in the last speech of the French president, the notes of nuclear blackmail were clearly heard and Russia will take this into account in defense planning. The ministry noted that Paris has expressed ambitions to become a nuclear "patron" of Europe, offering its "nuclear umbrella" as an alternative to the American one.