The Orion-26 exercise confirmed the readiness of European forces for operations to ensure Ukraine's security – Macron
The large-scale Orion-26 military exercises demonstrated the ability of European armies to conduct coordinated high-intensity operations. Speaking at the training ground in Suipp, French President Emmanuel Macron described these exercises as a clear signal to Ukrainian partners regarding the reliability of future security guarantees.
This was reported by Ukrinform, noting that the exercises served as a test for the “coalition of the willing” currently being formed under Franco-British command.
According to Macron, France has confirmed its status as a “framework nation” capable of uniting the armed forces of other EU countries around itself and strengthening operational interoperability within NATO. Units from the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Greece, Italy, and Poland took part in the exercises. The president emphasized that modern challenges require Europe to take on more responsibility for its own defense and the ability to act autonomously.
The French leader paid special attention to Ukrainian military personnel who were undergoing training at French training grounds. He emphasized that the resilience of Ukrainian resistance since February 2022 serves as an example for the entire European community. The final phase of Orion-26 was dedicated to rehearsing scenarios of major-power conflicts, intended to inspire allied armies to continuously improve their combat spirit and technical coordination.
The Orion-26 exercises began on February 8 on the Atlantic coast. They involve military personnel from 24 countries—primarily European, as well as from the United States, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates. The main goal is to test how armies operate in modern warfare, where drones, aircraft, artillery, and armored vehicles are all active on the battlefield simultaneously. The final events took place in two municipalities—Mai-le-Cam and Suipp. It was there that the so-called “final attack” unfolded according to the exercise scenario.
