Macron Warns Europe Faces Greatest Threat Since WW2, Plans €3.5B Defence Increase

French President Emmanuel Macron has declared that Europe's freedom faces its greatest threat since World War II, prompting him to call for a significant increase in France's defense budget. He announced plans to raise military spending by €3.5 billion in 2026 and a further €3 billion in 2027, aiming to double the defense budget to €64 billion by 2027, three years earlier than initially planned. Macron highlighted the rising security challenges from Russia's ongoing aggression in Ukraine, terrorism, cyberattacks, and uncertainty over American commitment to European defense. He emphasized that Europe must ensure its own security amid what he described as a world where "the law of the strongest wins," pointing to a perceived American disengagement. Macron also called for a strategic debate on the role of the French nuclear arsenal in European defense, advocating for increased European military cooperation. These moves have received mixed political reactions within France, with conservatives supporting the spending increases, while the left criticizes the prioritization of military spending over welfare amid government debt concerns.