Emmanuel Macron

Force in Play

Architect of France's Indo-Pacific strategy

For decades, security in the western Pacific ran through Washington. Countries struck bilateral deals with the United States and, mostly, with no one else. That model is dissolving. On March 27, the Philippines and France signed a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) in Paris. It's the Philippines' first such pact with a European partner. The agreement gives each country's troops a legal basis to train and operate on the other's soil. France now joins the United States, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and Canada on a growing list of nations with military access arrangements in the Philippines. Four of these were signed in under two years.

Updated 5 days ago

Force in Play

Co-leading coalition with UK; France's Catherine Vautrin to co-chair first 40-nation defence ministers' meeting alongside UK's John Healey

Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz on February 28, 2026, after US-Israeli strikes, cutting off roughly a fifth of global oil supply. The US-Iran ceasefire, extended by Trump on April 21, holds formally. But Iran's May 10 counter-proposal demanded Iranian sovereignty over the strait, an end to all US sanctions, and an immediate lifting of the naval blockade. Trump called the response "totally unacceptable," and roughly 1,500 commercial vessels remain trapped inside the Persian Gulf.

Updated 5 days ago

Force in Play

Criticizing US strikes but France part of E3 backing defensive measures

For 23 days since February 28, 2026, the US and Israel have conducted bombing campaigns against Iran under Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion, prompting Iranian retaliation against US bases and NATO sites including French bases in Abu Dhabi, RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, and a missile over Turkey. France authorized US support aircraft at Istres on March 5 with strict limits, but on March 16 European NATO allies rejected President Trump's demands for military assistance to reopen the Iranian-blocked Strait of Hormuz—Trump called the rejection a 'very foolish mistake' and declared the US needs no one's help.

Updated 5 days ago

Money Moves

On three-day visit to India during dialogue

India has depended on Russia for weapons since the Cold War. That dependence peaked at 76% of arms imports in 2009-2013 but has now fallen to 36%—while France has surged to become India's second-largest supplier, accounting for 33% of defense purchases. On February 17, 2026, the two countries signed an agreement to jointly manufacture HAMMER precision-guided missiles in India.

Updated 6 days ago

New Capabilities

Fourth state visit to India; leading major defense sales push

For decades, India's aerospace manufacturing remained almost entirely in government hands. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the state-owned monopoly established in 1940, built every military aircraft and helicopter on Indian soil.

Updated 6 days ago

Force in Play

Called for European strategic autonomy at Munich

For six decades, the Munich Security Conference is the West's main annual defense gathering. On February 15, 2026, the 62nd edition closed with NATO allies announcing military commitments—including Britain's Operation Firecrest Arctic carrier deployment—as tensions with Washington and Trump's April China visit loom.

Updated 6 days ago

Rule Changes

Defended multilateralism; criticized Trump policies

This year's World Economic Forum (the first in 55 years without founder Klaus Schwab) became an emergency diplomatic summit when Trump's tariff threats over Greenland drew record attendance from 60+ heads of state. By week's end, a NATO 'framework deal' had defused the immediate crisis, and Canadian PM Mark Carney declared to applause from European and middle-power leaders that the U.S.-led rules-based order is over.

Updated May 22

Rule Changes

Pushing EU to activate Anti-Coercion Instrument against US tariffs

For 55 years, the World Economic Forum at Davos was neutral ground where adversaries brokered deals. This year, 65 heads of state and nearly 3,000 leaders arrived just 48 hours after Trump announced 10% tariffs on eight European allies. The tariffs escalate to 25% by June unless Denmark agrees to sell Greenland.

Updated May 22

Rule Changes

Opposes the agreement

Negotiations between the EU and Mercosur began in 1999. Twenty-six years later, on January 17, 2026, representatives signed a comprehensive free trade agreement in Asunción, Paraguay—the same city where Mercosur itself was founded in 1991. The deal eliminates tariffs on more than 90% of bilateral trade and creates the world's largest free trade zone, covering over 700 million consumers and roughly a quarter of global GDP.

Updated May 21

Force in Play

Leading European security response to US retrenchment

For nearly three years after Russia's 2022 invasion, Ukraine relied on American satellites and signals intelligence for roughly 75-80% of its battlefield awareness, but in ten months France claims to have replaced most of that. President Macron announced on January 15, 2026, that France now provides two-thirds of Ukraine's intelligence—a restructuring forced by Washington's March 2025 decision to suspend most intelligence sharing as leverage in peace negotiations. Yet Macron's assertion contradicts Ukraine's own intelligence officials: the former GUR chief stated in December 2025 that the US remained the key provider, and concerns about US intelligence leaks to Moscow have reportedly chilled Kyiv's information sharing with Washington.

Updated May 21

Force in Play

Leading European resistance to U.S. Greenland demands at Davos

The United States has operated military bases in Greenland since 1941, under agreements with Denmark. On January 15, 2026, NATO allies deployed troops to the island to counter U.S. pressure after American-Danish talks collapsed. On January 17, President Trump announced 10% tariffs on eight European countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The tariffs will rise to 25% by June unless 'a deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.' On January 20, Trump declared on Truth Social that 'there can be no going back' on Greenland, calling it 'imperative for National and World Security.' That same day, Denmark deployed its Army Chief, General Peter Boysen, alongside 58 additional troops to Greenland, bringing total Danish military presence to approximately 178 personnel for Operation Arctic Endurance.

Updated May 21

Force in Play

Committed several thousand French troops to Ukraine military hubs post-ceasefire

After nearly four years of war, Ukraine's allies are rushing to finalize security commitments amid persistent Russian military pressure and a critical air defense gap. In January 2026, the Coalition of the Willing's Paris summit produced a 35-country declaration backing US-led ceasefire monitoring and British and French pledges to station 15,000 troops in military hubs post-ceasefire.

Updated May 18

Force in Play

Advocating strong European security guarantees and wary of U.S. concessions to Russia

In early 2025, Trump launched an aggressive push to "end the war" in Ukraine. He tied resumed military aid and intelligence sharing to Kyiv's acceptance of a U.S.-drafted peace framework that includes territorial concessions to Russia and long-term limits on Ukraine's sovereignty.

Updated May 10

Rule Changes

Leading calls for tougher EU trade measures against China

In December 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron warned Europe might impose U.S.-style tariffs on Chinese goods if Beijing doesn't curb its ballooning trade surplus. In an interview after his state visit to China, Macron said the surplus is "killing" European customers and called it a "life or death" struggle for EU industry, especially autos and advanced manufacturing.

Updated May 10

Force in Play

Repositioning France’s Africa policy from large Sahel deployments to lighter, demand‑driven security partnerships, including with Nigeria

Since March 2025, jihadist attacks, mass kidnappings, and farmer-herder violence have swept across northern and central Nigeria. A February 4, 2026, jihadist massacre in Kwara State alone killed over 160 people. Major incidents include a US-Nigeria airstrike on December 25, 2025, targeting Islamic State militants; Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks killing dozens of soldiers in January 2026; and partial rescues amid ongoing banditry.

Updated May 10