French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday hit back at Russia, after the Kremlin warned him not to threaten it with nuclear rhetoric and drew comparisons with Napoleon's failed conquest of Russia.

The Kremlin on Thursday condemned what it called a highly confrontational speech by French President Emmanuel Macron in which he called Russia a threat to Europe and said Paris would consider putting other countries under its nuclear protection.

Russia warned Macron not to threaten it with nuclear rhetoric after the French president said he was open to discussions on extending France's nuclear umbrella to allies.

French President Emmanuel Macron said in a televised address to the nation on Wednesday he plans next week to hold a meeting of army chiefs from European countries willing to send troops to Ukraine after any eventual peace deal with Russia.

French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized Russia’s threat to Europe in an address to his country on Wednesday night. President Donald Trump’s recent rebuke of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has concerned European leaders and led them to coalesce around Ukraine and offer support.