More than 500 soldiers from 35 countries, including Ukraine and Spain, have joined the military parade orchestrated by Emmanuel Macron under the motto of the "strategic awakening of Europe." The French president, with Volodimir Zelenski and Pedro Sánchez among the 25 invited heads of state and government, wanted to "Europeanize" the national celebration of Bastille Day and turn it into a "demonstration of strength" regarding the military capability of the old continent.
"We are ready and determined, and we are credible on land, sea, and air," Macron declared before the largest military parade on the Champs-Élysées in decades, with 6,800 soldiers marching, 98 aircraft flying over the Arc de Triomphe (including a Spanish F-18), 32 helicopters, 300 armored vehicles and tanks, and 192 horses from the Republican Guard.
The premier Keir Starmer, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stood alongside the French president at his "14th of July XXXL," as the local media titled it. However, Slovenian Marta Kos, EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, was the one who made the biggest impact at the parade: "This has been Europe's Super Tuesday."
Macron reviewed the troops from a military jeep at ten in the morning before taking his place in the honor stand alongside Volodomir Zelenski and his wife Olena Zelenska. The Patrouille de France then appeared, leaving a trail of blue, white, and red in the skies of Paris. They were followed by two Mirage 2000 with Ukrainian co-pilots trained in France at the controls.
About 25 Ukrainian soldiers, chosen for "their mastery of military drill and their ability to evolve in a perfectly coordinated manner within their unit," then joined the parade, which included soldiers from 35 countries. While France usually invites foreign armies to the July 14 celebrations, the European dimension and the symbolism of the Ukrainian soldiers after more than four years of war are unprecedented.
"We are marching for those who are currently on the front line and in tribute to those who have given their lives for our country," Lieutenant Yaroslav, the senior officer leading the Ukrainian delegation, told 'Le Figaro'. "It is a way to remind the world that the fight continues. We are grateful to France and proud to march alongside soldiers from other nations."
President Macron, in his tenth and final parade before leaving the Élysée next spring, wanted to honor Volodimir Zelenski like never before, who held a place of honor during the parade, which paid tribute to the "honor and bravery" of the thousands of Ukrainian soldiers fallen in combat.
In his notable speech to the Armed Forces the day before, Macron stated that Europe must be ready to defend peace, freedom, and the rule of law "at the cost of blood if necessary." Without needing to mention the Russian threat again, the French president called for "Europe's strategic autonomy" in dangerous times: "Let us not allow history to repeat itself."
Donald Trump extended a conciliatory message to Macron from across the Atlantic, against the backdrop of the 250th anniversary of independence: "When the United States was just a young republic, France provided military support, resources, and recognition that helped shape our future."
Meanwhile, thousands of French citizens joined the July 14 celebrations between the Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde, amid increasingly strict security measures, such as the requirement to have a QR code to cross the sea of barriers on the Champs-Élysées.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who held a prominent place during the parade, defended "the unity and determination of support for Kiev" after the meeting of the Ukraine Volunteer Coalition. Sánchez also participated in the launch of the Ballistic Missile Defense Coalition, in which Spain participates alongside a dozen European countries.
The Spanish participation in the parade included 21 military personnel, marching with the flag of the Naval Tercio (TEAR), an elite naval unit based in San Fernando (Cádiz). Alongside the marines, soldiers from the Royal Immortal Regiment number 1, based at the Army Headquarters in Cibeles, also marched.