Russia

Macron calls on EU countries to ramp up arms production

TASS English · 2026-07-13

AI SUMMARY

• What happened: French President Emmanuel Macron urged EU countries to increase arms production to address current security threats, acknowledging the failure of the French-German fighter jet program while emphasizing the need for reliable military equipment. • Why it matters: Macron's call reflects the urgency for European defense capabilities amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly due to the war in Ukraine, highlighting the shift from stockpiling to production as a means of deterrence. • What to watch next: The upcoming summit in September, which aims to advance European defense projects, including joint satellite constellations and innovation initiatives, will be crucial in shaping the future of EU military collaboration.

Macron calls on EU countries to ramp up arms production The French leader admitted that the French-German program for the development of a new-generation fighter jet under the SCAF/FCAS Future Combat Air Systems project was a flopPARIS, July 13. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron says the European Union needs to expand weapons production to better counter recognized threats. "Amid the existing threats, our entire defense industry must mobilize to be able to quickly shift its focus to the production of reliable equipment, and be prepared for mass production of certain types of weapons when necessary. The war in Ukraine and the risks identified in the National Strategic Review clearly demonstrate that strategic stability in Europe today rests on [production] flows rather than on stockpiles. Adversaries will be deterred not by existing arsenals, but by the ability to manufacture them," he said in an address to the French army, as quoted by his press service. He admitted that the French-German program for the development of a new-generation fighter jet under the SCAF/FCAS Future Combat Air Systems project was a flop but noted that "it would be wrong to stop at what has been achieved." He called for continuing the development of a main battle tank, modern air defense systems, in particular the SAMP-T NG surface-to-air missile system, early warning systems, as well as deep-strike capabilities "that would be consistent with the strategy of advanced deterrence" adopted by France. "Our companies in this sector should get accustomed to taking on more risk, get used to risk, accelerate production and made use of European programs and financing. This should apply to the space industry as well. The summit we are due to organize this September will make it possible to move forward in this sector but we need to continue picking up steam," he said. "We must move forward with European projects to create joint satellite constellations, foster joint innovation, and establish European standards.". 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Source: TASS English
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