France Unveils €36 Billion Rearmament Plan to Counter Russia

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Paris : France has announced plans to accelerate its military rearmament, citing what it views as a growing threat from Russia. The move comes under an updated defence spending bill unveiled on Wednesday.

The proposal follows warnings from France’s top military commanders, who said the country must be prepared to counter Russia and that NATO needs to adapt to faster weapons production.

Under the revised plan, France will add €36 billion ($42 billion) to its defence budget between 2024 and 2030, on top of the €413 billion ($482 billion) already allocated, according to AFP. Annual military spending is expected to rise to €76.3 billion ($89 billion) by 2030—about 2.5% of GDP—up from €57.1 billion ($67 billion) this year.

The increase also includes an additional €8.5 billion ($9.9 billion) for ammunition, bringing total spending in this category to €26 billion ($30 billion) between 2026 and 2030.

French officials said the strategy prioritises boosting stockpiles of ammunition, missiles, and drones. Planned increases include a 400% rise in remotely operated munitions such as explosive drones, an 85% increase in SCALP cruise missiles, a 230% rise in torpedoes, and a 30% increase in surface-to-air missiles.

“Our armed forces must be ready to respond to a major conflict at any time,” Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin said after a high-level security meeting.

France remains one of the few European countries focused on defence self-sufficiency, emphasising domestic production to reduce reliance on external suppliers. Key programmes include the Rafale fighter jet and the jointly developed Italian-French SAMP/T air defence system.

The rearmament push comes as European nations expand defence production while continuing support for Ukraine and strengthening NATO’s eastern flank. Officials say lessons from Russia’s war in Ukraine and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East have increased the urgency of building up ammunition and missile reserves.

France continues to be a major European supporter of Ukraine, providing both military and political backing. President Emmanuel Macron recently stated that France has become one of Kyiv’s leading intelligence partners.