International tension has been prevalent since the beginning of 2024. The likelihood of escalation or diffusion of crises is rising in tandem with their number. This is a moment to pause and consider how we might go forward while preparing the military for the tasks of the future. As the head of the Army Staff, I want our troops to be able to influence trends, contribute to the resolution of disputes and the development of a sense of unity, as well as prevent assaults against France, its citizens, its territory, and its interests.
Leadership and strategic planning
According to Gen. Pierre Schill, the chief of staff of the French Army, France is ready for the “toughest engagements” in order to defend itself and is ready to meet any events that may arise worldwide. The president of France, Emmanuel Macron, has stated time and time again that he does not rule out the possibility of sending Western soldiers to Ukraine at some point to assist Kiev in its conflict with Moscow, branding Moscow as a Paris adversary. France’s armed forces are prepared for any development in the global scenario because they are certain that their soldiers would act accordingly. Due to its “international responsibilities” and its defense agreements with “states exposed to major threats,” France needs its troops to be capable of cooperating and training with ally militaries.
Training and preparedness
Because it does not prevent wars that would remain “below the threshold of vital interests,” nuclear deterrence “is not a universal guarantee.” According to Schill, the Army needs to demonstrate its credibility by being able to project force and execute missions with a wider scope. The world as seen through the lens of medicine. Western societies have underestimated the true nature of the balance and drive of power as a result of several decades of calm interspersed with infrequent deployments of expeditionary armies on crisis management missions. The conflicts that are playing out in front of us make us doubt the hope that has also been an objective since the conclusion of the Cold War: criminalizing violence, concentrating armies’ attention on crisis management, and marginalizing war to the point of prohibiting it. It is being argued that the idea of a global order predicated on state sovereignty, international law, and the negotiation of conflict resolution is weak, Western, and contingent. Despite the peaceful ambitions of European nations, the crises that are emerging at the periphery of our continent testify more to the durability of war as a recognized means of resolving disputes than to its return. It is imperative that we communicate this insight to our fellow people.
Operational readiness and deployment
At present, France can muster an army corps of up to 60,000 soldiers, including ally divisions, and may commit a division of about 20,000 troops in less than 30 days. By backing Kiev, France is “not waging war on Russia,” but it has called Russia a “adversary” and maintained its position that any prospective NATO force deployment to the nation could not be “excluded.” “Virtually every possible aspect of the fight has already implicated the US-led bloc, and present and former military officers from NATO nations have been acting in the nation, supervising Kiev’s use of weapons supplied by the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin has cautioned against escalation and stated that a direct fight between NATO and Russia would be “one step shy of a full-scale World War III.” Moscow has frequently referred to the conflict as a proxy war against Russia, spearheaded by the US. The French military is concerned that a force of this size won’t be able to move and post itself in Ukraine covertly.
Adaptability and innovation
The resurgence of violent conflict on the ground is a reflection of the waning influence of international law. With the advancement of technology, this violent conflict is evolving. Thanks to new technology, the dream of a contemporary conflict waged wholly at a distance has faded. The old forms of conflict are supplemented by new ones without taking their place: cyberattacks and artillery duels coexist with electronic warfare; house-to-house urban combat is not eliminated by information manipulation; low-cost drone strikes and hypervelocity missiles are both present. A scarcity of weapons and ammunition, according to French experts and parliamentarians, would end any direct conflict with a formidable foe in a matter of months.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Numerous state actors, frequently with military status, connected to Western intelligence services have been present in Ukraine since the invasion began. Since the beginning of the conflict, undercover diplomats, advisors to Ukraine, and members of special forces have all inevitably been involved.
