French Military Chief: Russia’s Goal is to Weaken Europe and Dismantle NATO

General Thierry Burkhard, the Chief of the French Armed Forces, stressed the growing urgency of the situation in Europe, declaring, “The risk of war in Europe, it’s not that it exists, it’s that it is already here,” in a rare press conference on July 11.

Burkhard’s statement reflects a broader call for awareness of the current threats, particularly Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, as reported by BFMTV. He emphasized that Europe must recognize the severity of the situation.

“The cohesion of the nation cannot be found if there is no awareness of the world in which we live,” he added.

The general also noted what he described as a troubling “becoming accustomed to violence,” particularly in response to Russia’s missile and drone strikes on Ukraine.

“Would we have considered it normal five years ago for a state to fire 300 missiles at another and then say, ‘It’s not that bad because 95% were intercepted,’” Chief asked.

Burkhard also highlighted Russia’s strategic objectives, stating that Putin’s goal is to “weaken Europe and dismantle NATO.”

“Russians advance masked,” he said, referring to Russia’s stealthy, multi-domain threat strategy. He specifically mentioned Russian submarines and the militarization of space, such as the deployment of specialized military satellites.

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Despite the growing threats, Burkhard reassured the French public that France is not alone in its defense efforts, stressing that NATO’s collective defense framework provides crucial security guarantees.

“We are not the most threatened country directly, but the need for Europeans to increase their defense capacity is essential,” he emphasized.

Looking forward, Burkhard warned that the current security environment is changing rapidly. He pointed out that the number of global conflicts has surged.

“Thirty years ago, the CIRC estimated there were 30 conflicts, compared to 120 today.” This shift, he added, makes it difficult to foresee any immediate solutions, and the old paradigms of diplomacy and deterrence may no longer be sufficient.

“The European security landscape has fundamentally changed,” Burkhard concluded. “I do not see a way back,” stressing that Europe must now embrace a new approach to defense in light of the current geopolitical realities.

Earlier, the UK and France launched a joint nuclear deterrence framework to boost NATO defense.

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