Breaking news... Nuclear shield for Europe: Here is Macron's fighter jet plan and where the nuclear weapons are deployed

France says it is ready to use its nuclear deterrent to protect Europe . The Telegraph reports that fighter jets carrying nuclear weapons could be deployed in Germany after the US threatened to withdraw its forces from the continent.

Friedrich Merz, who won German elections on Sunday and is the country's likely chancellor, called on Britain and France to expand their nuclear safeguards in a bid for European "independence" from Trump's America.

SOURCE: JETS CAN BE DEPLOYED

A French official told The Telegraph that deploying fighter jets would send a message to Vladimir Putin, while diplomats in Berlin said it would pressure British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to do the same. "Standing up a few French nuclear jets in Germany shouldn't be difficult and would send a strong message," the source said.

After meeting with Merz on Sunday night, French President Emmanuel Macron traveled to the White House to present his plan for Ukraine's defense and European security to Trump. At the White House summit, the US president stated that his country would not provide security guarantees after a peace deal with Ukraine was signed.

'EUROPE SHOULD DO MORE'

Speaking alongside Trump, Macron said peace should not mean "the surrender of Ukraine" and stressed that Europe must do more to protect the continent. Meanwhile, the US clashed with its allies yesterday over a UN resolution on the Ukraine war. Washington voted with Russia against a resolution condemning Putin's war and calling for the withdrawal of its forces.

PLACES WHERE NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE POSITIONED IN EUROPE

NOTE: Locations of Russia's storage sites and bases are estimates based on currently available information. Sources: Federation of American Scientists, UN Institute for Disarmament Research, Congressional Research Service, Telegraph

100 NUCLEAR MISSILES ON BASE IN GERMANY

The United States has long ensured Europe's security with about 100 nuclear missiles, most of which are based at an American military base in Germany.

While France’s nuclear deterrent is currently independent of NATO, Britain’s is a key part of the alliance’s defence strategy. Merz said on Friday that Paris and London should “discuss whether their nuclear protection should be extended to us” and warned on Sunday that Trump’s America was now “indifferent to the fate of Europe”.

German diplomatic sources said talks on a European deterrent for their country had not yet begun and Merz was busy discussing forming a coalition government.

Macron has been encouraging Europe to hold a debate on the role of French nuclear weapons in defending the continent. A diplomat in Berlin said the French offer would increase pressure on Sir Keir to do the same and prove he was serious about contributing to European security.

"If the French were to put a nuclear deterrent on Germany, that would really force the British to do the same. I understand that within the CDU camp, the idea is that we need a nuclear umbrella, we want to have a say in it, we need to be prepared to talk about it and we need to be willing to pay for it."

However, the source said that this request was unlikely to be made officially unless the Americans withdrew their nuclear deterrent from Germany.

'DETERRENT POWER' PROGRAM

France is estimated to have around 300 nuclear weapons under its "force de dissuasion" programme, with sea- and air- based launch capabilities. The UK's Trident nuclear deterrent consists of four Vanguard-class submarines, each capable of carrying 16 warheads.

Addressing world leaders via video link at a summit in Kiev to mark the third anniversary of the invasion of the Kremlin, Sir Keir said Moscow "does not have all the cards in this war". He added that the UK was "ready and willing" and, unlike the US, would support a future peacekeeping agreement "with troops in place".

'PUTIN IS A KGB AGENT' CLAIM

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy addressed parliament, describing Putin as a "KGB agent operating by deception". He referred to Putin's feared background as an intelligence officer in Russia and communist East Germany, describing the invasion as "unprovoked" and "barbaric", contradicting Trump's claims that the war was Ukraine's fault.

On Monday evening, Trump told reporters that European troops could “go to Ukraine as peacemakers” and that Putin “would accept that.” “I asked him about that,” Trump said as he hosted Macron, adding: “He has no problem with that.”

MINERAL AGREEMENT

The US president suggested the war in Ukraine could end in a matter of weeks. Macron also said in an interview with Fox News that a ceasefire in the war "could be reached in the coming weeks" after his meeting with Trump.

The US President said Volodymyr Zelenskiy could travel to Washington this week or next to sign the minerals deal, which he said was "very close".