The most important exercises since the Cold War. Macron spoke out

President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that the Orion military exercises send a “clear signal” to both France's allies and its adversaries. Macron visited Mailly-le-Camp on Thursday, where the exercises were held. 20 countries took part in the maneuvers.

The French president described the exercises as a “success” and “a clear signal addressed to both our allies and adversaries.” – What I saw today is an army that is developing, transforming and modernizing – he said. He also mentioned the challenges and the need for “Europeans to take greater responsibility for their defense.”

Macron thanked the European partners involved in the exercises, mentioning, among others: Poles, Greeks and Italians. – Your presence shows the strength of which Europe is capable, he said. He assured that the Orion exercises made it possible to test the capacity for resistance in all spheres, including the civilian sphere. – These exercises demonstrated the credibility that Europeans have in their ability to undertake an operation of this scale together – he emphasized. He added that this is a message, among others, for Ukrainian partners.

During the day, the French president visited the command post of the division, which, as part of the exercises, directed the activities of units involved in retaking the area from the hands of the contractual enemy. He was present when Caesar howitzer shots were fired and machine gun fire was fired by the infantry from the trenches. He looked at military equipment donated to the army in recent years as France implements multi-year military budgets.

12.5 thousand people participated in the last phase of the exercises. soldiers, 1,800 tactical vehicles, 30 helicopters and 800 drones. This year's Orion exercises are described as the most important since the Cold War. They were held for the first time in 2023. They are – as the French Ministry of Defense previously noted – a significant event as part of the intensive operational preparation of the armed forces in the face of the increase in the number of threats.

From Paris Anna Wróbel (PAP)

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