"Prepare for European war".. The statements of the French Chief of Staff raise controversy

Motivation Chief of Staff of the French Army Fabien Mandon on Saturday, about positions he recently made about the danger of war in Europeafter a number of opposition officials denounced it, stressing that French Armed Forces "Ready"And that was the goal "Warning and preparedness"

In a speech during a conference of mayors of France on Tuesday, Mandon believed that it was necessary to restore the country. "Her moral strength to accept (the idea) that we will suffer to protect our identity" And be prepared "To accept the loss of her children"

Many political figures strongly criticized these statements, accusing the high-ranking military official of adopting a rhetoric "Calls for war"

G20 Summit

French President Emmanuel Macron responded on Saturday during a press conference at the G20 summit in South Africa, saying that the Chief of Staff "He has my complete trust"Considering that his words "Modify" With a purpose "Spreading fear".

He added "France must remain a strong nation, with a strong army, but also with the ability to rise collectively"calling for "Realize these geopolitical risks and stand together"

General Mandon said in an interview Saturday on France 5 "I understand some people’s concerns"but "The goal of this intervention" He was "Warning and preparedness".

He added "The situation is deteriorating rapidly"and"It seemed important to me to share this assessment with the mayors"And he pointed out that "The feedback shows that this is something that may not have been sufficiently understood by our people".

Roadmap for governments

Mandon reminded that "Analysis of the threat posed by Russia", "Something that all our allies in Europe share" and"It is established in a document"in reference to the 2025 National Strategic Review, which is a roadmap for governments.

According to this document, France must "Preparing for the possibility of significant and intense engagement in Europe’s neighborhood by 2027-2030, coinciding with a massive increase in hybrid attacks on its territory.".

Mandon said "I have great confidence in our country and our armies", "She is prepared and knows how to protect France"

French Armed Forces

In response to a question, he added what he meant by saying that France should "Accepting the possibility of losing her children"The French Armed Forces are composed of young men "Their ages ranged between 18 and 30 years". He continued "Brave women and men, who recognized the situation we were in, wanted to join, and knew that this commitment entailed risks"

French government spokeswoman Maud Bregon said Friday, in an attempt to calm the controversy "Our sons will not go to fight and die in Ukraine".

Mandon said "Many neighboring European countries are reintroducing national service"considering that this is one "Elements to be taken into account in our country"At a time when the government is preparing to announce the implementation of voluntary military service.

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