President Emmanuel Macron delivered his tenth and final address to the armed forces on Monday, announcing a sweeping modernisation plan anchored in nuclear deterrence and artificial intelligence integration. Speaking on the eve of Bastille Day, he pledged to accelerate the defence budget to 64 billion euros by 2027, doubling spending over a decade with an additional 36 billion euros earmarked for 2026–2030 to rebuild ammunition stocks and enhance combat capabilities.
Macron declared that France and its European allies stand ready to defend "freedom and law" even at the cost of blood, asserting that Europe is becoming a power. He stressed the priority of bolstering French sovereignty through advanced nuclear deterrence, enhanced air defence, and drone countermeasures, while noting the recent failure of the Franco-German SCAF fighter jet project.
A "coalition of the willing" was set to convene in Paris on Monday to support Ukraine, as Macron also called for respect of international law and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.