The Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier under NATO command from the end of April, a “displayed vassalization”, as Jean-Luc Mélenchon denounces? The Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu refuted this idea this Friday morning on France 2. Guest of “4 Vérités”, the minister recalled that the “command” of the aircraft carrier remained “French”, but that the mission it will carry out within the Atlantic alliance for two weeks will be a simple “making available” of French forces, “which come under NATO operational command”.
For two weeks, from April 26 to May 10, the only French aircraft carrier, flagship of the French fleet, will come under NATO operational control for the first time for a 15-day mission in the Mediterranean. This Akila mission, bringing together ships from several nations (United States, Greece, Spain, Portugal), will take place under the command of the StrikforNato maritime staff, comprising fifteen nations including France, and led by a vice-president. American admiral.
“When we make forces available to NATO or the UN, the president or the prime minister never loses control over our forces,” Sébastien Lecornu insisted, responding to criticism pointing to a loss of sovereignty. For the minister, this transfer of command simply allows “greater responsiveness in the event of a crisis”. “I recall that France created NATO”, underlined the Minister of the Armed Forces, affirming that one of the key issues of the next European elections next June will be “that France remains autonomous and strong within NATO “.