🗣 I believe that the French population, the nation, is ready to make sacrifices to defend what it holds dear. But this question remains highly theoretical, because our vital interests are not directly threatened. We are not in the same situation as the Ukrainians, who have experienced in their flesh, since 2014, the growing pressure of the Russian military apparatus.

We don't live next door to a country that would develop an army with the aim of invading us. That said, we are part of NATO and we are the initiators of the European Union. As such, we have a fundamental solidarity with a number of allies who have a power on their borders, Russia, which has built up a military apparatus that puts pressure on its neighbors.

We can't rule out the possibility of Russia trying to attack one of our partners in one way or another. We need to be able to make a major contribution to Europe's collective defense as part of a coalition.