logo
French President Macron announces 6.5 billion euros in extra military spending in next two years

French President Macron announces 6.5 billion euros in extra military spending in next two years

Japan Today13-07-2025
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the army leaders at the Hotel le Brienne, Sunday, July 13, 2025, ahead of the Bastille Day parade in Paris. (Ludovic Marin, Pool Photo via AP)
By ANGELA CHARLTON
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday announced 6.5 billion euros ($7.6 billion) in extra military spending in the next two years because of new and unprecedented threats, ranging from Russia to nuclear proliferation, terrorists and online attacks.
The French leader laid out the spending plans in a sweeping speech calling for intensified efforts to protect Europe, and support Ukraine in its war against Russia's full-scale invasion. He said France will aim to spend 64 billion euros ($74.8 billion) in annual defense spending in 2027, the last year of his second term. That would be double the 32 billion euros in annual spending when he became president in 2017.
″Since 1945, freedom has never been so threatened, and never so seriously,'' Macron said in the French president's traditional speech to the military on the eve of the Bastille Day national holiday. ''We are experiencing a return to the fact of a nuclear threat, and a proliferation of major conflicts.''
″To be free in this world, we must be feared. To be feared, we must be powerful,'' he said.
He insisted that France can find the money to spend more on the military even as it tries to bring down massive national debts. Conservative and far-right parties have supported greater defense spending, while left-wing parties accuse the government of sacrificing hard-won social welfare benefits for military spending.
Europe is in danger because of Russia's war in Ukraine and wars in the Middle East, and because ″the United States has added a form of uncertainty,″ Macron argued. Other dangers he cited included online disinformation campaigns by unnamed foreign governments and propaganda operations targeting children, in ″the screen era.″
Macron also ordered France's top military and defense officials to start a ″strategic dialogue″ with European partners about the role that the French nuclear arsenal could play in protecting Europe. France and Britain agreed recently to cooperate on nuclear arsenal issues.
His speech came as U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to make an announcement about Russia on Monday, and the head of NATO is traveling to Washington for two days of talks. Trump last week announced plans to sell NATO allies weaponry that they can then pass on to Ukraine, which has been struggling to repel massive and complex Russian air assaults.
French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu in an interview published Sunday in La Tribune Dimanche said that European officials have been making the case to the Trump administration to bolster Ukraine's air defense capabilities.
Lecornu also urged more French spending on defense technology and better training of engineers and technicians. ″Big powers and certain proliferating countries are working secretly on quantum computers ... that will be capable tomorrow of revolutionizing the battlefield. Do we want to stay in the game?'
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Alphabet and AI stocks nudge Wall Street to more records
Alphabet and AI stocks nudge Wall Street to more records

The Mainichi

time3 hours ago

  • The Mainichi

Alphabet and AI stocks nudge Wall Street to more records

NEW YORK (AP) -- Wall Street inched to more records on Thursday as gains for Alphabet and artificial-intelligence stocks helped make up for Tesla 's steep tumble. The S&P 500 added 0.1% to its all-time high set the day before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 316 points, or 0.7%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.2% to its own record. Alphabet climbed 1% after the company behind Google and YouTube delivered a fatter profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It's leaning more into artificial-intelligence technology and said it's increasing its budget to spend on AI chips and other investments this year by $10 billion to $85 billion. That helped push up other stocks in the AI industry, including a 1.7% rise for Nvidia. The chip company was the strongest single force lifting the S&P 500 because it's the largest on Wall Street in terms of value. But an 8.2% drop for Tesla kept the market in check. Elon Musk's electric-vehicle company reported results for the spring that were roughly in line with or above analysts' expectations, and Musk is trying to highlight Tesla's moves into AI and robotaxis. The focus, though, remains on how Musk's foray into politics is turning off potential customers, and he said several rough quarters may be ahead as "we're in this weird transition period where we'll lose a lot of incentives in the U.S." Stocks have broadly been rallying for weeks on hopes that President Donald Trump will reach trade deals with other countries that will lower his stiff proposed tariffs, along with the risk that they could cause a recession and drive up inflation. The record-setting gains have been so strong that criticism is rising about how expensive stock prices have become. That in turn puts pressure on companies to deliver solid growth in profits in order to justify their gains. Chipotle Mexican Grill also helped weigh on the market despite delivering a profit for the spring that topped analysts' expectations. The restaurant chain's growth in revenue came up short of expectations, and its stock fell 13.3%. IBM dropped 7.6% even though it likewise reported a stronger profit than expected. Analysts pointed to slowing growth in its software business, among other things underneath the surface. American Airlines lost 9.6% despite reporting a stronger profit than expected. The company said it expects to report a loss for the summer quarter. It also gave a forecast for full-year results that had a wide range: between a loss of 20 cents per share and a profit of 80 cents per share, depending on how the economy performs. Reactions in the stock market have generally been stronger than usual when companies beat or miss their profit targets by a wide margin, according to Julian Emanuel at Evercore. Other extreme moves have also been roaring underneath the market's surface, including huge swings for "meme stocks." Those are stocks where traders are looking to jump in amid online cheerleading and ride it higher, before a halt in momentum leaves some investors holding the bag. Opendoor Technologies rose 5.7% following a manic stretch where it swung by at least 10%, up or down, in 10 straight days. Such swings, though, haven't been showing up in overall market indexes, which have been gliding recently. The S&P 500 hasn't had a day where it moved by at least 1% in a month. All told, the S&P 500 rose 4.44 points to 6,363.35. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 316.38 to 44,693.91, and the Nasdaq composite rose 37.94 to 21,057.96. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady following the latest signals that the U.S. economy seems to be holding up OK despite pressures from tariffs and elsewhere. One report said that fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, a potential signal of easing layoffs. A separate report from S&P Global suggested growth in U.S. business activity accelerated in July, and the preliminary results easily topped economists' expectations. That helped solidify expectations on Wall Street that the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady at its next meeting next week, even though Trump has been agitating angrily for cuts. The European Central Bank, which had earlier been cutting its rates, also held steady on Thursday as it waits to see how Trump's tariffs affect the economy. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note briefly approached 4.44% in the morning before pulling back to 4.40%, where it was late Wednesday. In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Asia and Europe. Tokyo's jump of 1.6% and London's rise of 0.8% were two of the bigger gains.

Atomic Brussels? Support for nuclear power gains ground in EU
Atomic Brussels? Support for nuclear power gains ground in EU

Japan Today

time3 hours ago

  • Japan Today

Atomic Brussels? Support for nuclear power gains ground in EU

The Cattenom nuclear power plant in France, which has long championed atomic power in the EU By Adrien DE CALAN Long a taboo, Brussels opened the door to EU funding for nuclear power this month in a sign of the growing support atomic energy is enjoying within the bloc. The European Commission listed "nuclear fission energy" among the sectors eligible to receive EU money in its 2028-2034 budget proposal unveiled last week -- reversing a previous ban. The commission declined to say if that meant Brussels was prepared to fund the building of new nuclear reactors, with a spokeswoman stressing that the proposal was "still to be discussed" with member states. Nuclear's eligibility remained only potential, she said, and fission was listed alongside other related fields such as decommissioning nuclear facilities, management of radioactive waste and nuclear research. But the change in tack -- given atomic energy was explicitly excluded from funding under the current European Union budget -- marked a victory for the pro-nuclear camp, which has been steadily gathering steam. Europe has long been divided on nuclear. While France has championed it, Germany has led the opposition since former chancellor Angela Merkel accelerated a phase-out in 2011, after the meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. The two economic powerhouses even captain rival informal clubs of countries that vie for influence in Brussels. Paris leads the "European Nuclear Alliance" while Berlin is top dog in the "Friends of Renewables" group. Informal breakfast talks of the two groups are normally held ahead of meetings of EU energy ministers, with representatives of some countries shuttling between the two gatherings. 'Unavoidable' topic France's club has been gaining members, with Belgium and Italy announcing this year they would join, and Greece also expressing interest. This came after Rome opened the door to a return to atomic power, and Belgium officially abandoned a two-decades-old pledge to phase it out. Other members of the club include Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden. Germany's grouping includes Austria, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Denmark, and the Baltic states, among others. "The enlargement of the alliance makes the subject somewhat unavoidable," Neil Makaroff, a climate transition expert at Strategic Perspectives, a think tank, said of the pro-atomic faction. After years of EU ostracism, these countries want to "make nuclear power politically neutral", he added. Opposition is weaker than a couple of years ago, with more and more governments emphasising the need for a complementary energy mix to speed-up the electrification of the continent. France is even hoping for a more lenient approach from Germany under new leader Friedrich Merz. In May, the chancellor co-signed an opinion piece with French President Emmanuel Macron backing "technological neutrality" and the "non-discriminatory treatment of all low-carbon energies within the European Union". French Energy Minister Marc Ferracci later said the Germans were ready to end "the religious war over nuclear power". Yet, opinions on the matter within Germany's ruling coalition differ and whether Berlin -- a net contributor to the bloc's budget -- would go so far as to greenlight EU funding for nuclear remains to be seen, said Makaroff. Tensions might bubble up again in the coming months, as countries discuss European rules on renewable energy -- a package France would rather be called "decarbonised" energy and include nuclear power. Paris claimed a first victory this month when the commission included the concept of "technological neutrality" dear to the French in its 2040 climate target proposal. Still, even in the most nuclear-heavy scenarios, wind and solar power are projected to dominate the European energy mix in the coming decades. In 2024 renewables accounted for 47 percent of electricity production in Europe, compared with 23 percent for nuclear energy, according to EU data agency Eurostat. "In the short term, most of the work on electrification will be done through renewables," said Makaroff. © 2025 AFP

Thailand and Cambodia Exchange Heavy Fire Along Disputed Border
Thailand and Cambodia Exchange Heavy Fire Along Disputed Border

The Diplomat

time6 hours ago

  • The Diplomat

Thailand and Cambodia Exchange Heavy Fire Along Disputed Border

The Thai and Cambodian militaries today exchanged heavy fire along their disputed border, killing and injuring at least 11 Thai citizens, in a significant escalation of an ongoing border dispute. The fighting began with a clash early this morning at a disputed area in the vicinity of the Ta Muan Thom temple, which is perched along the border between Thailand's Surin province and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province. Fighting then quickly spread to a series of five other areas along the border, with both sides deploying heavy weaponry including multiple-launch rocket systems, artillery, and armored vehicles. In a statement this afternoon, the Royal Thai Army (RTA) said that nine civilians had been killed by Cambodian rocket fire, including an 8-year-old boy, and at least 14 injured. Six of deaths came when a Cambodian rocket – reportedly a Russian-made BM-21 – hit a gas station in Sisaket province. Two of the other deaths were in Surin province, and one was in Ubon Ratchathani province. The Thai Health Ministry has since amended the death toll to 11. Cambodia had not reported any casualties as of press time. Thailand also deployed F-16 fighter jets against Cambodian military targets in the border area, the RTA's Second Military Region said, claiming to have 'destroyed' two Cambodian regional military support units. The Thai army later announced 'the complete closure of all border checkpoints along the Thai Cambodian border.' Both sides have ordered the evacuation of civilian populations from the affected border regions, and have urged their nationals to leave the other country. The fighting brings to a crescendo a dispute that has been steadily escalating since May 28, when Thai and Cambodian soldiers clashed along a stretch of undemarcated border further to the east, leaving one Cambodian soldier dead. Since then, relations have fallen to their lowest point since the dispute over Preah Vihear temple in 2008-2011, which resulted in a series of short but deadly armed clashes. The Thai and Cambodian governments have blamed each other for the outbreak of fighting this morning. The Thai military said in a statement that heavily armed Cambodian troops fired at a Thai base close to Ta Muen Thom temple at around 8:20 a.m., shortly after deploying a surveillance drone in the area. Cambodia's Defense Ministry countered that Cambodian troops retaliated after an 'unprovoked incursion' by Thai troops and 'acted strictly within the bounds of self-defense.' As the fighting escalated, the Ministry condemned what it described as Thailand's 'brutal and illegal military aggression' against Cambodia. Prime Minister Hun Manet also wrote to the U.N. Security Council requesting that it convene an urgent meeting, accusing Thailand of launching 'unprovoked, premeditated, and deliberate attacks on Cambodian positions along the border areas.' 'It is profoundly reprehensible that this act of aggression occurs while Cambodia is actively pursuing peaceful and impartial legal avenues to resolve outstanding border issues with Thailand through both bilateral and international mechanisms,' he stated. In a Facebook post, Hun Manet's father, Senate President Hun Sen, called on the Cambodian public 'not to panic, hoard rice or goods, or raise prices on essential items.' The eruption of the dispute into open conflict came a day after a Thai soldier lost a leg in a landmine explosion along the border, an incident that prompted Thailand to withdraw its ambassador to Cambodia, expel Cambodia's envoy to the country, and seal all of the border crossings in its northeast – including closing access to Ta Muen Thom temple. Thailand's government claimed that Cambodia had laid fresh mines along the border. Phnom Penh has denied the accusations, stating that the Thai soldiers had deviated from agreed-upon patrol routes and that the mines were left over from Cambodia's decades-long civil war. With fighting ongoing along a wide arc of the border, the situation seems likely to get worse before it gets better. Nationalist sentiments are now inflamed on both sides of the border, making it hard for either government to take steps to call a ceasefire and de-escalate tensions. Relations between the two governments and their leaders are also at a low ebb, after Hun Sen, who remains the locus of power in Cambodia despite handing the prime ministership to his son in 2023, engineered the leak of a phone call he had with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra last month. The 38-year-old Thai leader has since been suspended by the Constitutional Court pending an investigation into her conduct during the call, during which she accused a Thai general of siding with her political opponents. The leak marked a major breach of regional diplomatic norms and shattered the once-friendly relationship between the Hun and Shinawatra clans. In a post on X, Paetongtarn's father, the former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who earlier described the leak of the phone call as a 'betrayal,' claimed that Hun Sen ordered the attack on Thai territory 'after laying explosive traps along the border,' the Bangkok Post reported. 'Thailand has exercised patience and restraint, and we have been following international law and fulfilling our duties as a good neighbor,' Thaksin wrote. 'From now on, Thai forces can respond according to tactical plans, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can determine various measures with legitimacy.' In comments to CNN, Thitinan Pongsudhirak described how this 'family vendetta' could complicate a resolution to the crisis. 'The Shinawatra family now are very angry with Hun Sen,' he said. 'Now it's not just about Thai-Cambodia but the Shinawatra family that has been compromised.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store