France Has OFFICIALLY Declared Its FIRST ENEMY

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France’s military leadership now openly calls Russia its “first enemy in Europe,” but the real shock comes from just how rapidly the French establishment has shifted gears—rattling sabers, ramping up defense spending, and preparing for a conflict that, not so long ago, was dismissed as unthinkable on European soil.

At a Glance

France’s top general publicly declares Russia the main enemy in Europe, citing a “lasting, close and dimensional threat.”
The French government warns that the risk of war in Europe is real, not hypothetical, and points to Russia’s ongoing hybrid warfare tactics.
France is preparing for increased defense spending and new security commitments, signaling a seismic shift in European defense priorities.
Experts say this marks the most serious deterioration in France-Russia relations since the Cold War, with consequences for all of NATO.

French Military Chief: Russia Is Now France’s Top Enemy

General Thierry Burkhard, the Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces, dropped the diplomatic pretense at a July 11 press conference, labeling Russia as France’s “first enemy in Europe.” Gone are the days of polite ambiguity or the fantasy that the Kremlin’s ambitions stopped at Ukraine’s borders. Now, the French defense establishment says the threat is “lasting, close and dimensional”—a polite way of saying that the Russian bear is not just at the door, it’s pawing at the hinges. Burkhard’s warning comes as France, and indeed much of Europe, faces a security environment that’s gone from “complex” to “deeply and durably disrupted.”

Burkhard did not mince words on the scale of the threat. Russia, he said, is not only waging a brutal war on Ukraine—it’s pursuing a multi-domain campaign against the West: cyberattacks, disinformation, covert operations, you name it. France has already been targeted, and the general described a dangerous normalization of violence, with Russia’s missile and drone strikes on Ukraine serving as daily reminders that the era of “peace in Europe” is very much over.

France Prepares for a New Era of Defense—and a New Bill

President Emmanuel Macron is now expected to unveil a new set of national security priorities, including increased defense spending. The timing is not subtle: Burkhard’s remarks were seen as preparation for Macron’s televised address, scheduled just two days after the general’s bombshell press conference. The message is clear: the French public had better get used to the idea of higher defense budgets, less money for pet projects, and a whole lot more talk about resilience, deterrence, and “European autonomy.”

This shift isn’t happening in a vacuum. France’s new security posture comes after years of Russian hybrid attacks on European infrastructure, relentless disinformation campaigns, and brazen interference in politics. The French government is now openly preparing for everything from cyberattacks to submarine incursions, even as it insists there is no immediate threat of Russian tanks rolling through Alsace. But anyone who thinks the Kremlin is content to keep its war inside Ukraine’s borders has not been paying attention.

The Ripple Effect: NATO, Europe, and the High Cost of Vigilance

France’s declaration does not just rattle Paris; it sends shockwaves through all of NATO and the European Union. The French are making it clear: the days of relying on wishful thinking or American largesse are over. Europe will have to get serious—fast—about real defense, not just committees and communiques. Increased defense budgets will mean less room for the endless government handouts and social engineering that have become the playbook for much of the continent’s left-leaning leadership.

Experts say this is the most serious deterioration in France-Russia relations since the Cold War. Some call it overdue; others warn of the risks of escalation. But one thing is certain: the French government is gambling that the public will accept the costs of this new “realism”—from higher taxes to fewer entitlements—in exchange for a shot at genuine security. And the rest of Europe? They’ll either get on board or risk being left behind.