President Emmanuel Macron of France might be uncomfortably close to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, but he at least understands how to deter Vladimir Putin of Russia.

Macron showed as much via a French nuclear strike exercise on Wednesday. While no nuclear warhead was involved, the exercise tested all the other elements of the air component of France’s nuclear command (Force de dissuasion). As Air Force Technology notes, “Operation Durandal saw a Rafale-B aircraft and an A330 Phènix overcome representative air-to-air and ground-to-air threats before firing the MBDA manufactured ASMPA-R.”

The ASMPA-R is the latest iteration of France’s air-launched nuclear strike missile and can carry a warhead of 300 kilotons. The Rafale involved in the exercise appears to have had its transponder turned off. Still, the Washington Examiner can first report that an A-330 flight under callsign RPAU301 and assigned to a Force de dissuasion supporting unit flew from its base near Marseille to conduct an air refueling orbit over Nantes on Tuesday morning. The A-330 then flew southeast to the western Corsican coast, where it conducted another refueling orbit before returning to its home base. The strike element of the nuclear exercise presumably took place in Corsican airspace.

This is a very important signal from France to Russia. After all, this exercise was not-so-subtly conducted alongside the start of a Russian tactical nuclear weapons exercise. Putin ordered that exercise to protest both Macron’s pledge that he will not allow Ukraine to fall and the British decision to allow Ukraine to use British weapons against targets inside Russia. But France and Britain didn’t start the latest round of escalation. Putin did so when he authorized an aggressive sabotage campaign in Europe. The Biden administration has responded to Russia’s escalation with feeble caution. Fortunately, France and the United Kingdom are offering a different reaction.

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Namely, a reaction of prudent and calculated strength. While France did not actually use a nuclear warhead in this exercise, it has publicly reminded Putin of its means and resolve to contest his aggression up to and including its ultimate culmination point. This is strength that Putin and his generals understand and respect. And the Western reinforcement of that Russian understanding is especially important in the nuclear domain.

In contrast, Biden’s dithering appeasement and Trump’s delusional affection only encourages Putin to push harder and in more places. It produces more risk of undesired escalation and insecurity, not less. In turn, the U.S. would do well to take an example from our oldest ally.