France will increase its military spending by an additional €6.5 billion over the next two years amid rising global threats. French President Emmanuel Macron made the announcement on Sunday.
Speaking in his traditional Bastille Day address to military leaders at the Hotel de Brienne in Paris, Macron said France aims to reach an annual defence budget of €64 billion by 2027 — double the €32 billion spent annually in 2017 when he first took office.
Calling the increase a “new and historic effort,” Macron said it is “proportionate, credible and essential” to meet today’s security challenges.
The president urged intensified efforts to protect Europe, citing threats including Russia’s war in Ukraine, terrorism, online attacks, and misinformation campaigns targeting young people.
“Since 1945, freedom has never been so threatened, and never so seriously,” Macron said. “To be free in this world we must be feared. To be feared we must be powerful.”
Despite efforts to reduce public debt, Macron insisted France can find the resources to boost defence spending. The plan has support from conservative and far-right parties, while some on the left criticise it for risking social welfare gains.
Macron also ordered France’s military and defence officials to begin a “strategic dialogue” with European partners on the role of France’s nuclear arsenal in Europe’s security. France recently agreed with Britain to strengthen cooperation on nuclear issues amid growing Russian threats.
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A Sudanese man has been arrested over a knife attack in Belfast that left a man seriously injured and prompted calls online for a protest after footag...
The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan's relative stability may not be sustainable unless the country's current authorities change policies af...
Iran's FIFA World Cup 2026 squad arrived in Mexico wearing badges bearing the hashtag "168" in memory of victims of the deadly Minab school missile st...
Chinese President Xi Jinping is wrapping up a two-day state visit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang. It was his first trip to the cou...
Chinese President Xi Jinping is wrapping up a two-day state visit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang. It was his first trip to the country since 2019, and a visit that carries more strategic weight than its carefully choreographed ceremonies might suggest.
Türkiye welcomed Armenia's parliamentary election result on Monday, urging Yerevan to take "bolder steps" towards regional peace and diplomatic normalisation.
Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Georgia signed the Istanbul Declaration on Monday, reaffirming their commitment to stronger regional cooperation, connectivity and stability across the South Caucasus.
Iran and Israel have halted strikes on each other, but Tehran has warned it will recommence attacks if Israel continues military action in Lebanon. U.S. President Donald Trump and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun have meanwhile made pleas for peace.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's Civil Contract party has won the Armenian elections, picking up nearly half the vote. With a majority in parliament, Pashinyan is set for a third term as Prime Minister. But an opposition politican has said he will challenge the election results.
The results of Armenia’s parliamentary elections will determine the makeup of the National Assembly and shape the country's political direction for the foreseeable future. But in Armenia, the final result is not decided by vote percentages alone. Here's how it works.
Barcelona is preparing to mark a historic milestone in the legacy of architect Antoni Gaudí as Pope Leo XIV visits the city this week to inaugurate the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Família basilica, almost exactly 100 years after the visionary architect’s death.
A Sudanese man has been arrested over a knife attack in Belfast that left a man seriously injured and prompted calls online for a protest after footage of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Iran and Israel have halted strikes on each other, but Tehran has warned it will recommence attacks if Israel continues military action in Lebanon. U.S. President Donald Trump and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun have meanwhile made pleas for peace.
Iran's FIFA World Cup 2026 squad arrived in Mexico wearing badges bearing the hashtag "168" in memory of victims of the deadly Minab school missile strike, which occurred during the U.S. and Israeli raids on Iran on 28 February, according to the Iran Football Federation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is wrapping up a two-day state visit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang. It was his first trip to the country since 2019, and a visit that carries more strategic weight than its carefully choreographed ceremonies might suggest.
A Sudanese man has been arrested over a knife attack in Belfast that left a man seriously injured and prompted calls online for a protest after footage of the incident circulated widely on social media.
A Paris court has dismissed criminal charges against New Caledonian pro-independence leader Christian Téin, ending a high-profile case that drew international attention and renewed scrutiny of France’s handling of independence movements in its overseas territories.
Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine's north-eastern Kharkiv region killed a pregnant woman and two other people, Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday, as renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war continued.
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