France has launched its most significant military intervention of the 2026 conflict, sending the Charles de Gaulle carrier group to the Red Sea to spearhead a new multinational security mission.
The French president and German chancellor have now personally intervened to prevent the collapse of Europe’s most ambitious defense project, by ordering a final push to save the troubled aircraft scheme.
Macron criticized the shifting U.S. stance on the Iran conflict, warning that any military action could expose shipping to Iranian coastal threats and ballistic missile attacks.
Addressing the Japanese business elite, the French president argued that Europe’s ‛slower’ pace is a strategic asset, offering a level of certainty that more volatile global powers cannot match.
Japan remains highly dependent on energy imports from the Middle East, which provides around 95% of its oil supply—prompting a search for stronger strategic partnerships.
