The French army must be “prepared for a shock in three, four years”: “Russia may be tempted to continue the war on our continent”
French soldiers at an exercise in Poland. PHOTO: Wojtek Radwanski / AFP / Profimedia
The Chief of Staff of the French Army, General Fabien Mandon, spoke on Wednesday about the country's “rearmament effort” and said that the “first objective” he set for the national army was “to be prepared for a shock in three, four years”, in the face of a Russia “that may be tempted to continue the war on our continent”, reports AFP, according to Agerpres.
The general addressed the defense committee deputies on Wednesday.
“The first objective that I have drawn for the army is to be prepared for a shock in three, four years, which would be a form of test – maybe the test already exists in hybrid forms – but it can be (somewhat) more violent,” said Fabien Mandon.
He warned that “Russia is a country that may be tempted to continue the war on our continent.”
“This is the decisive element in what I am preparing,” continued Mandon, who took command of the French army on September 1.
The French general's comments came as German intelligence said last week that Russia was ready to “come into direct military conflict with NATO”, a threat they said could materialize as early as 2029.
The French Army Chief of Staff believes that Moscow has “the perception of a collectively weak Europe”. He noted a “disinhibition of the use of force” on the Russian side.
“Economically, demographically and industrially, Europeans are superior to Russia.”
Mandon said that “Russia cannot scare us if we want to defend ourselves.”
“We have everything to be sure of us,” the French general declared, saying that “economically, demographically and industrially, the Europeans are superior to Russia.”
Under these conditions, Fabien Mandon is of the opinion that the increase in the military budget is “fundamental, already existing in perceptions”.
“If our potential rivals, our adversaries, perceive that we are making an effort to defend ourselves and that we have that determination, then they can give up. If they feel that we are not prepared to defend ourselves, I don't see what can stop them,” he explained.
French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin said the draft defense budget provides for an allocation of 57.1 billion euros for 2026. The increase is 13 percent and raises the budgetary effort for the military to 2.2 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.
