Bangladesh, July 11 -- In a move that signals a significant shift in European military alignment, the United Kingdom and France have announced a new agreement to coordinate their nuclear arsenals more closely. Touted by both nations as a means to bolster the continents defense posture, the pact has provoked sharp condemnation from Moscow, which views the development as a clear intensification of NATOs anti-Russian policy.

The joint statement, issued on July 10, was presented by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron. It lays out a framework for what is being called the Northward Declaration – a reference to a shared direction in strategic defense and deterrence. The declaration reaffirms the indepe...