French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a powerful TV address yesterday, projecting gravitas and vision as he addressed the Russian threat. In unusually blunt terms, Macron called out “President Putin’s Russia” for its actions, including assassinating opponents, manipulating elections, and cyberattacking hospitals.
Macron warned that Russia is re-arming at an unprecedented rate, planning to increase its military by 300,000 soldiers and 3,000 tanks. He also committed France’s independent nuclear force to extend its protective umbrella over European allies.
The address came after months of parliamentary gridlock, and it appears to have paid off. A Toluna/Harris Interactive Institute snap poll found that 52% of viewers found Macron’s speech “convincing”, while 68% support raising France’s military budget and 61% approve extending French nuclear deterrence to the EU27.
Macron’s leadership on Russia and Ukraine has left his opponents, including hard-Right and hard-Left figures, wrong-footed. The move may give him more political breathing space than he has known in almost a year, allowing him to focus on finding solutions to the conflict.
Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/03/07/emmanuel-macron-finally-scored-win-ukraine-russia