Emmanuel Macron has used his traditional speech on July 13, on the eve of the national holiday, to announce "a new, historic, and essential effort" to rearm France and "preserve our security and independence" against the "threat" from Russia, the "uncertainty" created by the United States, and the multiple risks of the international scene.
"Never since 1945 has the freedom of Europe been so threatened", Macron emphasized from the start. "And when there are no rules, the law of the strongest prevails (...) Let's be clear: Europeans must ensure our own security and find our own solutions to defend our sovereignty and independence."
Macron has stated that French nuclear deterrence will act as a guarantee of Europe's "collective security" and is ready to hold discussions, like those recently held with the United Kingdom and with European partners willing to create an "effective, credible, and coherent" European Defense strategy.
"Let's defend our freedom, and let's defend the armies that defend our freedom," proclaimed Macron, linking the defense of Ukraine with the defense of the continent. "To be free in this world, one must be feared. To be feared, one must be powerful. For this, the nation must be stronger, and that begins with greater awareness among all French citizens and all civilian actors in the face of the hybrid threats surrounding us."
Macron has called for the "rearming" of the country and the "general mobilization of all sectors" in a message with warlike resonances that went even further than the one delivered on March 5. The French president's new alert comes 11 days after his two-hour teleconference with Vladimir Putin.
The French president, who will preside over the military parade on the Champs-Élysées on Monday and present the new military strategy, has announced an unprecedented increase in Defense spending over the next two years, aiming to reach 67.4 billion euros by 2030 and with the goal of reaching 3.5% of GDP by 2035. In his address from the Hôtel de Brienne, headquarters of the Ministry of Defense, the Élysée's occupant warned that companies, transportation companies, and hospitals will also need to rearm themselves to prevent cyberattacks and other elements of the "hybrid war" initiated by Moscow.
"We belong to a generation that did not experience war," acknowledged the Élysée resident. "The dividends of peace are over. But this effort will not be without benefits for the nation, and military spending will be a source of wealth. In any case, we refuse to allow increased spending to mean debt. Our military independence is inseparable from our financial independence, and this will be financed through increased economic activity and increased production."
The French president, who until recently stated that the reintroduction of mandatory military service was not "a realistic option," this time extended his call to young people "so they can serve the country" and opened the door to reforming the current Universal National Service (SNU).
His intervention was preceded by an interview with the Minister of Defense, Sébastien Lecornu, who announced in an interview with Le Tribune Dimanche the creation of a "hybrid army" by 2030, composed of professionals and over 50,000 soldiers in the reserve.
"We do not intend to stir up fears or concerns, we are here to document the situation and provide a response," clarified Lecornu. "If we do not want to depend on anyone, this necessarily requires a new effort, not only budgetary, but also intellectual, moral, and industrial."
The renewed campaign to raise awareness among the French about the "Russian threat" and the possibility that Moscow may attack a European country before 2030, beyond Ukraine, began during the week with the unprecedented television appearance of the director of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Nicolas Lerner.
Tensions rose even further on Friday during the unusual press conference by the Chief of the Defense Staff, Thierry Burkhard, who stated bluntly: "Russia has designated France as its main adversary in Europe". General Burkhard also reiterated "the lasting, close, and significant threat" posed by Moscow, and stated that Vladimir Putin's objective is to "weaken Europe and dismantle NATO."
The top French military official pointed out how Russia "has all the attributes of a totalitarian state, such as centralized decision-making capacity and population conditioning," and called for "cohesion" in the face of the threat to French society: "War is already in Europe."