France, Germany call for armed unity against "imperialist" Russia

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have issued a joint appeal for bolstering European defence capabilities in response to what they describe as the continent’s greatest threat — Russia. 

Their message, published in the Financial Times, outlines a clear roadmap for increasing defence spending, enhancing NATO’s European pillar, and ensuring long-term continental security.

In the article, the two leaders characterise Russia as the primary source of instability for Europe, citing a history of aggression: the invasion of Georgia in 2008, the annexation of Crimea and military intervention in Donbas in 2014, and the full-scale war against Ukraine launched in 2022.

“Vladimir Putin’s objective is to undermine European security to Moscow’s advantage,” they wrote. “There is a methodical attempt on the part of Russia to exercise coercive tutelage over its neighbours, to seek to destabilise European countries and to challenge the global order. We cannot accept it, because our aim is to protect and preserve peace on our continent.”

The French and German leaders pledged that as long as this trajectory continues, Russia will face unwavering resistance from Paris and Berlin. “What is at stake will determine European stability for the decades to come,” the statement emphasised.

To meet this challenge, both countries are boosting their defence budgets. France and Germany currently allocate over 2 per cent of GDP to defence, but the leaders aim to raise this further, ultimately targeting 3.5 per cent in core defence spending, along with 1.5 per cent for broader defence-related expenditures. This increased investment is intended to reinforce NATO’s European presence and close critical capability gaps, particularly in the face of a revisionist Russia.

French and German troops are already playing leading roles on NATO’s eastern flank, acting as framework nations in Lithuania and Romania. Their forces also contribute significantly in Poland, Estonia, the Baltic and Mediterranean seas, and throughout European airspace, supporting operations in intelligence, space, and cyber domains.

The leaders also reaffirmed that nuclear deterrence remains essential to NATO’s overall security. France’s independent strategic nuclear arsenal plays a key role, while Germany participates through NATO’s nuclear sharing arrangements.

Additionally, Macron and Merz committed to modernising procurement systems by embracing “the three S’s”: standardisation, simplification, and scale, to make defence acquisition more efficient and coordinated.

The article further stresses the importance of strong collaboration between the European Union and NATO, emphasising that a more capable European defence framework enhances both transatlantic and global security. European industrial investment, they argue, is crucial to filling capability gaps and maintaining a technological edge.

“In a nutshell,” they conclude, “showing unity against all threats, providing support to Ukraine and stating our determination to develop European defence capabilities and our industrial base through increased defence spending and investment are all part of the same equation. We unambiguously reaffirm allied unity, allied solidarity and a commitment to the freedom, peace and security of our continent.”

By Tamilla Hasanova