- Title: Macron says France will order more Rafale warplanes than planned
- Date: 18th March 2025
- Summary: SOLDIERS IN FRONT OF WARPLANE VARIOUS OF MACRON WALKING PAST SOLDIERS SOLDIERS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, SAYING: "We will continue to support Ukraine in the war of aggression because we know, through our history and our geography, particularly here, what being occupied means." SOLDIERS IN FRONT OF RAFALE WARPLANE RAFALE WARPLANE (SOUNDBITE) (F
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: Air Base 116 European security NATO Rafale
- Location: LUXEUIL-LES-BAINS, FRANCE
- City: LUXEUIL-LES-BAINS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Defence,Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002965218032025RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: France will order more Rafale warplanes said Emmanuel Macron during a speech held on a military base in the east of the country on Tuesday (March 18).
"We are going to increase and accelerate our orders for Rafales," said French President.
Macron earlier said France plans to invest in the coming years nearly 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) into one of its air bases to equip its squadrons with the latest nuclear missile technology.
"Our country and our continent will have to continue to defend, equip, and prepare, if we want to avoid war", he added.
Jolted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump's more confrontational stance towards traditional Western allies, European countries are hiking defence spending and seeking to reduce dependence on the United States.
Macron's speech comes on the day the German parliament approved a massive increase in military spending.
He was set to visit Berlin later on Tuesday.
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