Orion-26 military exercises confirmed Europeans’ readiness for security guarantees for Ukraine – Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron said the large-scale Orion-26 military exercises sent an important signal to Ukraine and European allies about Europe’s ability to conduct major joint operations.
He said this in an address to troops after the maneuvers concluded at the training ground in Suippes, Ukrinform reports, as cited by Censor.NET.
According to Macron, the exercises demonstrate not only the level of interoperability between European armies, but also the continent’s readiness to take greater responsibility for its own security, particularly in the context of future security guarantees for Ukraine.
Signal for Ukraine and Europe
The French president stressed that the Orion-26 exercises were a practical test of the concept of the so-called "coalition of the willing," which is now being formed to guarantee Ukraine’s security. According to him, the initiative is under Franco-British command.
Macron emphasized that the results of the exercises confirmed the ability of European countries to act together and effectively coordinate large-scale operations.
European military interoperability and France’s role
The French president said Orion-26 demonstrated a high level of interoperability between troops from different European countries. He also emphasized France’s role as a "framework nation" capable of organizing and coordinating such operations.
"These exercises showed confidence in Europeans and their ability to jointly deploy an operation of this scale… as well as France’s ability to be a framework nation in this context," Macron said.
He separately noted the participation of British, German, Spanish, Greek, Italian and Polish troops, calling their presence confirmation of European unity in defense.
Ukrainian dimension of the exercises
Macron paid particular attention to Ukraine, noting that Ukrainian troops trained by French partners demonstrate an example of resilience and effectiveness.
"Our Ukrainian brothers in arms… thanks to their strength of spirit, they held out… This is an example that should continue to inspire us," the French president stressed.
He emphasized that Ukraine’s experience since the start of the full-scale war must remain a reference point for European armies in matters of defense and resilience.
- Earlier, Macron said Europe must act decisively because US President Donald Trump, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin "fiercely oppose Europeans."
