"The French seem to go where the oil contracts are," McCain told ABC news when asked about international support for a US-led war.

But, he said, that if President George W. Bush decides to go to war, "he will get great support."

"Some of it has been expressed by eight countries," McCain said, noting support from Britain, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

He said Germany, which opposes any military action in Iraq, "had a domestic situation which the chancellor took advantage of."

"But I think you'll see significant support from around the world," he said.

Earlier in Berlin, a spokesman from Chancellor Gerhard Schroder said Germany's position will not change no matter what US Secretary of State Colin Powell told the UN Security Council on Wednesday.