On board the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle for the Christmas party of the troops, the head of state reiterated that the return of war in Europe was forcing France to continue pursuing its military strategy.
This year, Emmanuel Macron is with the troops on the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle for Christmas. “The seriousness of the moment requires us to stand by our armies,” said the French President. In an exclusive interview with France Info, he reiterated his desire to strengthen military strategy: “This is the decision I made five years ago by massively reinvesting in our armies through a military programming law. We are preparing a new law where we have to go even further.”
According to Emmanuel Macron, the goal is to “prepare the armies according to a complete model” so that they “can find information, act independently, choose their partners to protect both on our soil and in Europe and the Mediterranean”. In particular, he mentioned new areas of conflict such as the sea, the Internet and space: “It requires human investment, training, capacity investment and investment to have equipment in numbers, but also to highlight innovation”.
French President Emmanuel Macron greets marines upon his arrival aboard the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, sailing between the Suez Canal and the Red Sea December 19, 2022. LUDOVIC MARIN v AFP
The Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier is taking part both in strengthening NATO’s defense and deterrent attitude towards Russia against the background of the war in Ukraine, and in the fight against terrorism in Iraq and Syria.
Also readOf Charles-de-Gaulle, Macron announces that he wants to speak about the “universal national service” at the beginning of the year
The flagship of the national navy, along with NATO and the European Union, set out to secure Romania’s airspace last month, the president added. “Clearly, the war, the return of the war in Europe, the game of forces, requires us to equip ourselves, to have a real strategy,” in reference to Russia, “which has changed its behavior, Iran, which it… the provision of drones and the position of China will help with this”.
French naval personnel operate on December 19, 2022 on the flight deck of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle sailing between the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. LUDOVIC MARIN v AFP
According to the French Presidency, the aircraft carrier “is really a tool for strategic agility. Depending on the evolution of the situation, it may switch from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea or the Indian Ocean.” The French Navy’s largest building, which left Toulon on November 15, is escorted by frigates, oil tankers, a nuclear submarine and maritime patrol aircraft.
SEE ALSO – The words of Emmanuel Macron to the troops of the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle
Emmanuel Macron traveled to Africa (Chad 2018, Ivory Coast 2019) for the troupe’s last Christmas party. In 2020 and 2021 he had to do without it due to the Covid 19 pandemic.