France's top general, General Fabien Mandon, has expressed his primary concern over the possibility of a war with Russia in the next few years. Speaking in parliament, Mandon presented France's draft legislation to boost defence spending between 2024 and 2030.
The draft legislation allocates an additional 36 billion euros to France's defence spending, on top of the 413 billion euros already allocated for the period. Mandon cited intelligence estimates, which suggest that Russia is expected to have a 1.9 million-strong army by 2030, up from 1.3 million last year.
The number of Russian heavy tanks is set to rise to 7,000 in 2030 from 4,000 in 2025, while the number of combat vessels in the Russian navy is expected to be between 230 and 240. Mandon emphasized the importance of the military planning law in defending France's citizens.
He also warned of an "unrestricted use of force" and a "terrorist threat" in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, which justify the ramping up of defences. Mandon expressed concerns over Washington's wavering commitment to Europe, stating that France can no longer have the same level of confidence in the Americans' commitment to their security.
