On Thursday, April 9th France’s top general said the possibility of a war with Russia in the next few years remains his “primary concern” as he defended efforts to ramp up defense spending.
The Chief of the Defense Staff, General Fabien Mandon, spoke in Parliament as he presented France’s draft legislation to boost defense spending between 2024 and 2030.
The persistence of a Russian threat on our continent, with the possibility of an open war, remains my primary concern in terms of military preparedness.
According to the draft legislation unveiled by the government on Wednesday, €36 billion will be added to France’s defense spending, on top of the €413 billion already allocated for the 2024–2030 period.
Mandon’s rhetoric coincided with the UK’s defence secretary John Healey addressing Russian president Vladimir Putin directly, stating:
We see you. We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences.
Previously, Mandon has warned French citizens to prepare to lose their children in a war with Russia.
