French President Macron announces 6.5 billion euros in extra military spending in next two years
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. In an exceptional move, France and Britain agreed in recent days to cooperate on nuclear defense issues.
Macron's 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.
Macron recently spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time in three years, but remains a target of widespread criticism in Russia for his vocal support for Ukraine. The Kremlin argues that the Ukraine conflict is a consequence of Western countries' decision to ignore Russia's security interests.
The head of the French military, Gen. Thierry Burkhard, laid out risks emanating from Russia that stretch well beyond Ukraine.
Russia is disrupting trajectories of satellites to jam them or spy on them, is involved in undersea infrastructure sabotage, and leads disinformation campaigns in France and Africa, Burkhard said Friday. He said Russian attack submarines penetrate into the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and Russian military planes interact frequently with other aircraft over the Black Sea, Syria, the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic.
French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, in an interview published Sunday in La Tribune Dimanche, 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?'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
Children to be taught anti-misogyny in sex education classes
Recognising misogyny, the harms caused by so-called "deepfakes" and unhealthy attitudes towards consent will be taught in sex education classes under new government guidance for will be taught "how to identify and learn from positive male role models", according to parts of the final draft of the relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) guidance seen exclusively by the in England should also "proactively" engage with parents to make sure they are aware of what is being taught, the guidance will say. But plans to impose age limits on certain subject areas, proposed by the previous Conservative government just before last year's election, will not go ahead. That earlier draft guidance had suggested sex education should not be taught before Year 5, while topics like sexual harassment and pornography should not be taught before Year the government will outline areas that should be introduced in primary school and what students should learn about by the end of secondary school in the final draft of its guidance, due to be published later Department for Education (DfE) says it will mean children don't get taught things they are too young for, without assigning specific ages to each individual will have the right to view all of their school's RSHE curriculum materials, which the charity Parentkind has welcomed. Frank Young, from the charity, says it's important that teachers consult with parents first to understand what is age appropriate for their child "so that we put parents in the driving seat".The new guidance, which schools will take on from this autumn, will come into full legal force from September 2026. It will say primary schools must cover respectful relationships, boundaries, and the risks of sharing information and images it is expected to recommend that conception, birth and puberty is taught in Year 5 or Year 6 - but this is not school teachers may also decide to discuss the sharing of naked images or online sexual content if it is affecting pupils in the school, or if they are aware students have seen pornography, under the new guidance. By the end of secondary school, students should be taught how to keep themselves and others safe, including how to avoid sexually transmitted infections and unplanned in the secondary school curriculum are expected to include lessons on:The sexual norms endorsed by so-called "involuntary celibates" (incels) or online influencersAI-generated sexual imagery and deepfakesHow pornography links to misogynySexual ethics beyond consent and the awareness of power dynamics The guidance will advise secondary schools to work closely with mental health professionals on how to discuss suicide prevention in an age-appropriate Andy Airey, Mike Palmer and Tim Owen, the founders of Three Dads Walking who each lost a daughter to suicide, have welcomed its inclusion, saying it will "save lives".RSHE became compulsory in schools in England in pupils must take part in relationships education, which doesn't involve explaining the detail of different forms of sexual activity, but can cover sensitive topics such as sexual violence in order to keep children have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of sex education, but students can choose to opt back in from three terms before they turn 16. The government is expected to release its separate guidance for schools around children who are gender-questioning the RSHE guidance, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the behaviour and attitudes of boys and young men "is one of the challenges facing us today".Schools and parents have a vital role to play in "helping children identify positive role models and resist the manipulation too often used online to groom impressionable young minds," she added. At Benton Park School in Leeds, head teacher Nik Skilton says teachers have to be "really careful" when it comes to talking to students about inappropriate online content, so that they don't highlight something to young people that they aren't already being exposed to."But, on the flip side, we've also got to make sure that we are supporting young people to protect themselves," he Skilton says schools need some flexibility in how they approach these topics, because each school has different issues to deal RSHE guidance will encourage schools to build a more positive culture, making staff and pupils aware of the danger of stereotypes and prejudice. Benton Park School has reported a decrease in the number of students experiencing sexual harassment in school since it adopted a whole-school approach to tackling such one of the student ambassadors at the school, believes social media is fuelling sexism and sexual harassment because "they appear so much on everyone's pages, on their phones, that they think it's normalised".She says it has become a lot easier to "call it out" because of the skills the school has given Karman agrees, saying she now feels like she has a voice to say: "This is not okay".
BBC News
33 minutes ago
- BBC News
Legacy Act: Hilary Benn accuses Conservatives of making false promises to veterans
The Northern Ireland secretary has accused the Conservatives of making "false promises" to veterans with the controversial Legacy Act, as he defended Labour's plans to replace Benn was speaking during a three-hour debate in Parliament, which saw MPs clash over legacy in the presence of some military act, which was brought in by the Conservatives, introduced a ban on inquests and civil actions related to incidents during the also sought to offer a conditional amnesty for people suspected of Troubles-related crimes in exchange for co-operating with a new information recovery body - that was later ruled unlawful. Labour is in the process of repealing the act, but has faced a backlash from some who say it could reopen prosecutions against military in Westminster on Monday evening, Benn said that 202 live inquiries into Troubles-related killings of members of the armed forces were brought to a stop in May 2024 and a further 23 involving veterans - as a result of the controversial legacy was responding to a petition signed by more than 170,000 people calling for Labour to safeguard "protections for veterans around prosecutions for Troubles-related incidents".Benn said hundreds of military families were still seeking answers, and that the government was "listening carefully" to veterans as well as victims and their relatives."I and the defence secretary are engaging with our veterans community and with all interested parties over future legislation, and we will ensure that there are far better protections in place," he Conservative MP and Shadow Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois described the government's plans as "two-tier justice at its worst".He said many veterans now effectively had a "sword of Damocles hanging over them again". Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Gavin Robinson accused the government of seeking to "rewrite the history of the past", and said his party had opposed the Legacy Act for "very different reasons" than Sinn Féin."We're asking for the government to protect those who protected us," he Unionist Party (UUP) MP Robin Swann hit out at what he called "point-scoring" between Conservative and Labour MPs during the debate, adding that any party in power had a duty to "get this right to make sure those people who served aren't dragged through the courts".Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister said the secretary of state needed to take veterans' concerns seriously."This government is said to be tackling legacy issues and if this government is going to tackle it, then it needs to stem it by tackling inquests and that route which is now producing potential prosecutions of some of the bravest of our citizens," he of the debate, hundreds of military veterans protested in Westminster against Labour's plans to change the say they fear it could reopen the possibility of more prosecutions against Army veterans. 'Labour fell for this' Almost 170,000 people signed a petition backed by Francois, demanding Labour not make any changes to the law that would allow Northern Ireland veterans to be prosecuted – a level which means the subject has to be debated by those at the protest were Geoff Butler and Glen Espie, who each served tours in Northern Butler said his message to the government was to "get rid" of its plans and listen to veterans."It's totally ridiculous the way this has come to a head... Labour fell for this, half the MPs in the Commons weren't born during the Troubles, what do they know about it?"Mr Espie said he attended the protest to support colleagues who he felt were at risk of being "put in court as elderly veterans"."It's not right. Successive British governments have let down the veterans community." What is the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act? The act was passed by the Conservative government in September 2023 despite opposition from Labour, all Northern Ireland parties, several victims' groups and the Irish created a new legacy body known ICRIR to take over all Troubles-era cases from 1 May 2024, including those on the desk of the Police Service of Northern act shut down all historical act's most controversial element, the offer of conditional immunity to suspects, was disapplied following legal action by bereaved court ruled this part of the act was incompatible with human rights' legislation and the Windsor July, the Labour government wrote to the Belfast courts abandoning an appeal against the striking out of the amnesty clause in the December, the secretary of state formally started the process to repeal the act, but as well as prompting a backlash from veterans who do not want to see the law repealed, he was criticised by some political parties and victims' groups for not moving quickly enough.
The Independent
37 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky names new PM after Trump threatens Putin with ‘severe' tariffs
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has asked first deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko to lead a new government, setting the stage for a political reshuffle as Ukraine's war with Russia raged on. Ms Svyrydenko, 39, is an economist and has served as first deputy prime minister since 2021. She played a key role in recent negotiations for a minerals deal with the United States. This comes as Donald Trump once again expressed his disappointment with Russian president Vladimir Putin and announced 100 per cent sanctions on Russia as he pledged more weapons for Ukraine, including 17 Patriot missiles which Kyiv has urgently sought. "We're going to be doing secondary tariffs," the US president said, announcing sanctions on countries who trade with Moscow. "If we don't have a deal in 50 days, it's very simple, and they'll be at 100 per cent,' the US president said, adding that he was disappointed in Mr Putin. Mr Trump announced that billions of dollars of US weapons would go to Ukraine, and said: "We're going to make top-of-the-line weapons, and they'll be sent to Nato.' Zelensky thanks Trump for support as new sanctions on Putin likely Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday he had spoken to US president Donald Trump after his announcement of new weapons for Ukraine and thanked him for his support. "It was a very good conversation. I thanked him for his readiness to support Ukraine and to continue working together to stop the killings and establish a lasting and just peace," Mr Zelensky wrote. His remarks come as Mr Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine yesterday, and threatened sanctions on buyers of Russian exports unless Russia agrees a peace deal in the next 50 days. Mr Trump's threat to impose so-called secondary sanctions on Russia, if carried out, would be a major shift in Western sanctions policy. Lawmakers from both US political parties are pushing for a bill that would authorise such measures, targeting other countries that buy Russian oil. Arpan Rai15 July 2025 06:36 Zelensky and Kellogg discuss joint arms production and defences Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says he had "a productive conversation" with US president Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia about strengthening Ukrainian air defences, joint arms production and purchasing US weapons in conjunction with European countries. The two also talked about the possibility of tighter international sanctions on the Kremlin. Mr Zelensky, who met retired Lt Gen Keith Kellogg in Kyiv, wrote on social media: "We hope for the leadership of the United States, because it is clear that Moscow will not stop unless its ... ambitions are stopped by force." Arpan Rai15 July 2025 06:25 Several people injured in Russia as 55 Ukrainian drones downed overnight Several people were injured and houses and non-residential buildings were damaged as a result of Ukraine's overnight drone attack on Russia, regional officials said. The drones were downed in Russia's southwestern regions of Lipetsk and Voronezh, regional governors said this morning. The Russian defence ministry said on Telegram that its units destroyed 55 Ukrainian drones overnight over five Russian regions and the Black Sea, including three over the Lipetsk region. The full extent of damage from the attacks was not immediately known. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine about the attack. Russia's air defence units destroyed 12 drones over the Voronezh region that borders Ukraine, governor Alexander Gusev said on Telegram. "Unfortunately, there were injuries," Mr Gusev said. "In central Voronezh, several people sustained minor injuries due to debris from a downed UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles)." Several apartments in multi-storey buildings in the city of Voronezh that is the administrative centre of the broader Voronezh region were damaged, as well as houses in the suburbs, Mr Gusev said. Additionally, several commercial facilities throughout the region were damaged by falling drone debris, he said, without providing further details. In the city of Yelets in the Lipetsk region a drone crashed in an industrial zone, regional governor Igor Artamonov said on Telegram. "One person was injured and is receiving all necessary medical assistance," Mr Artamonov said. Arpan Rai15 July 2025 06:20 Trump says his sanctions threat is led by frustration with Putin Donald Trump said his shift in imposing punitive actions on Russia was motivated by frustration with Vladimir Putin. "We actually had probably four times a deal. And then the deal wouldn't happen because bombs would be thrown out that night and you'd say we're not making any deals," Mr Trump said. Last week he said, "We get a lot of bulls*** thrown at us by Putin." Since returning to the White House promising a quick end to the war, Mr Trump has sought rapprochement with Moscow, speaking several times with Mr Putin. His administration has pulled back from pro-Ukrainian policies such as backing Kyiv's membership in Nato and demanding Russia withdraw from all Ukrainian territory. But the Russian leader has yet to accept a proposal from Mr Trump for an unconditional ceasefire, which was quickly endorsed by Kyiv. Recent days have seen Russia use hundreds of drones to attack Ukrainian cities. Arpan Rai15 July 2025 05:16 Trump is looking at making money out of Nato – not saving Ukraine Donald Trump has not turned against Vladimir Putin. Rather, he has just announced a big day of future sales for the US arms industry with a buying bonanza for Ukraine by Nato. With the secretary general of Nato sitting next to him in the Oval Office, the US president warned that Russia would face '100 per cent' tariffs if it did not agree to a ceasefire with Kyiv inside 50 days. He went on to criticise Putin several times for his warm approach and manner on the telephone which he then followed up by renewed missile attacks on Ukraine. 'I wouldn't call him an assassin, but I would call him a very tough guy,' he said of the Russian president. Trump is looking at making money out of Nato – not saving Ukraine Don't be misled; Trump is peeved by Putin and will make money from his irritation out of Ukraine's war but he has not shifted away from Russia completely, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley Arpan Rai15 July 2025 05:05 Trump pledges more Patriots for Ukraine in coming days US president Donald Trump has said billions of dollars of US weapons would go to Ukraine, including more than a dozen Patriot air defence missiles. "We're going to make top-of-the-line weapons, and they'll be sent to Nato," Mr Trump said, adding that Washington's Nato allies would pay for them. The weapons would include Patriot air defence missiles Ukraine has urgently sought, he said. "It's a full complement with the batteries," Mr Trump said. "We're going to have some come very soon, within days." "We have one country that has 17 Patriots getting ready to be shipped... we're going to work a deal where the 17 will go or a big portion of the 17 will go to the war site,' he said. Nato secretary general Mark Rutte, who was sitting alongside Mr Trump in the Oval Office, said Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada all wanted to be a part of rearming Ukraine. 15 July 2025 04:44 'Trump did not go as far as Russian markets had feared' Artyom Nikolayev, an analyst from financial information firm Invest Era, said the US president Donald Trump did not go as far as Russian markets had feared. "Trump performed below market expectations. He gave 50 days during which the Russian leadership can come up with something and extend the negotiation track. Moreover, Trump likes to postpone and extend such deadlines," he said. Arpan Rai15 July 2025 04:36 Zelensky nominates new prime minister to lead Ukraine government Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has asked first deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko on Monday to lead a new government, setting the stage for a political reshuffle as Ukraine's war with Russia raged on. Mr Zelensky also proposed that Ukraine's current prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, take over as defence minister, describing him as holding the right qualifications for a very important job. "We... discussed concrete measures to boost Ukraine's economic potential, expand support programs for Ukrainians, and scale up our domestic weapons production," Mr Zelensky wrote on X. "In pursuit of this goal, we are initiating a transformation of the executive branch in Ukraine," he said, adding that he had proposed that Ms Svyrydenko lead the government and "significantly renew its work". Ms Svyrydenko, 39, is an economist and has served as first deputy prime minister since 2021. She played a key role in recent negotiations for a minerals deal with the United States. Arpan Rai15 July 2025 04:27 Trump threatens Russia with new sanctions if no peace deal is reached in 50 days The US could impose crippling secondary sanctions on Russia if the three-year-old war it has been waging against Ukraine is not brought to an end by 2 September, president Donald Trump has said. Speaking in the Oval Office on Monday alongside Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte, Mr Trump said he's 'very unhappy' with Russia and its president Vladimir Putin, and pledged to impose what he described as 'very severe tariffs' on Moscow 'if we don't have a deal in 50 days.' 'I'm disappointed in President Putin, because I thought we would have had a deal two months ago, but it doesn't seem to get there. So based on that, we're going to be doing secondary tariffs. If we don't have a deal in 50 days, it's very simple, and they'll be at 100 percent, and that's the way it is. That can be more simple. It's just the way it is. I hope we don't have to do it,' he said. Read Andrew Feinberg 's full report here: U.S. will also send weapons to Ukraine as Trump turns against Putin Arpan Rai15 July 2025 04:19
