4h/ 31h
General Fabien Mandon, Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces, warned that France faces a lack of collective will to endure sacrifice amid Russia's growing military power, which has increased from under one million troops in 2022 to 1.3 million and is expected to reach two million by 2030. He highlighted France's military growth plans, with active personnel rising from about 204,000 to over 275,000 and defense spending increasing from €43.9 billion to €68 billion, but stressed that societal readiness is crucial for deterrence and sovereignty. Political reactions vary, with some left-wing leaders rejecting the warnings as alarmist, while government officials support preparing for war; meanwhile, the UK advances plans to support Ukraine in potential post-ceasefire scenarios.