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.

Macron's nuclear rhetoric posed a threat to Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said Thursday.

"If he considers us a threat, convenes a meeting of the chiefs of general staff of European countries and Britain, says it is necessary to use nuclear weapons, prepares to use nuclear weapons against Russia, this is, of course, a threat," Lavrov was quoted by state news agency RIA as saying.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the French leader's comments, in an address to the nation Wednesday, were an indication Paris was looking to prolong the war in Ukraine.

"The speech is really extremely confrontational," Peskov told reporters. "It can hardly be perceived as a speech by a head of state who is thinking about peace.

"Rather, from what was said, one can conclude that France is thinking more about war, about continuing the war."

Macron, he said, had omitted important facts and failed to mention Russia's own "legitimate concerns and fears" about the eastward expansion of NATO toward Russia's own borders.

Under Macron, France has supplied arms to Ukraine and said it is prepared to consider sending troops there to help ensure the implementation of any peace agreement. Russia has said the presence of any troops from NATO countries would be unacceptable.

Macron also said in Wednesday's speech that France was ready to discuss extending the protection of its nuclear arsenal to other European countries.

Peskov said this amounted to a "claim to nuclear leadership in Europe" which he said was "very, very confrontational."