This is a decisive moment – not only for the defense of Ukraine, but for Europe as a whole. As the United States turns away from the continent, European security is threatened by Russian imperialism now more than ever. The coming weeks will determine the ability of Ukraine and its European partners to confront this threat.

Military aid from countries like France, for which Ukrainians are deeply grateful, is now more necessary than ever. These weeks will decide whether Europe is capable of taking control of its own future through military means. The current situation shows just how far-sighted and pioneering France has been in this area, vindicating the policies of General Charles de Gaulle, who endowed France with the most independent military capabilities in Europe, as well as those of President Emmanuel Macron, who, right from the start of his term of office, insisted on the need for European strategic autonomy.

France has a historic opportunity to take the lead in Europe and finally build a strong, autonomous European defense. For this ambition to become a reality, France must not only increase its defense spending, as it plans to do, but also increase its military and financial support for Ukraine beyond the additional aid of €2 billion recently announced by Emmanuel Macron. Ukrainians are all the more grateful for the latter, given the significant effort that it represents.

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