Paris: France’s chief of defense staff, Fabien Mandon, issued a stark warning on Thursday about the escalating risk of a direct conflict with Russia, stating that it remains his foremost military concern. This warning comes amid ongoing efforts to fortify France’s defense capabilities in response to what Mandon describes as a pervasive security threat across Europe.
According to Anadolu Agency, Mandon addressed the French National Assembly, emphasizing the persistent danger posed by Russia on the European continent. He highlighted projections that the Russian military would expand significantly, with troop numbers expected to reach 1.3 million by 2025 and 1.9 million by 2030. Mandon further underscored the anticipated increase in Russia’s heavy tanks from 4,000 to 7,000 and the maintenance of a robust naval fleet of 230-240 combat ships.
Mandon stressed that his concerns were not based on dogma but were informed assessments necessitating a bolstering of French defense capabilities. He pointed to ongoing threats within Europe and underscored the importance of a strong defense posture, referring to the updated military programming law as vital for safeguarding citizens, the nation, and French interests.
“We are in a period of danger. We must not create fear, only awareness, because we need this defense investment,” Mandon stated. The newly updated law injects an additional £36 billion (approximately $42 billion) into the Armed Forces budget, supplementing the £413 billion (approximately $482 billion) already earmarked for 2024-2030.
Mandon cited the unrestrained use of force and the persistent threat of terrorism in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa as further justification for the budget increase. He also expressed concerns about the alignment of US priorities with France’s needs in the event of simultaneous crises, quoting US officials who have cautioned France to strengthen its defenses.
In a response from Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed France’s concerns over a potential ‘open war’ with Russia as “completely unfounded.” Peskov insisted that Russia poses no threat to countries that refrain from engaging in anti-Russian activities and expressed a desire for “good, mutually beneficial” relations with all nations.