Macron says Russia’s hybrid threat has intensified — BBC News
French President Emmanuel Macron said that in recent weeks, the hybrid threat posed by Russia, the aggressor state, to France and other European countries has intensified. He instructed the government to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure, as well as the most sensitive facilities in the defense industry and technology sector, against drone-enabled attacks and cyberattacks.
As BBC News reports, Macron spoke at the Élysée Palace after a meeting with political party leaders, where they discussed the security consequences of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. According to him, France has already become a target of Russian hybrid attacks in recent weeks, which will not go unanswered.
Pressure on Ukraine’s allies
Macron said that the purpose of such actions is to intimidate Europeans and weaken their support for Ukraine. Hybrid attacks generally refer to non-military methods of pressure, including cyberattacks, sabotage, or disinformation.
The French president also mentioned a drone attack on Leipzig Airport in Germany last month, which has been linked to Russia. In addition, he referred to statements by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk about possible drone and missile strikes on countries on NATO’s eastern flank.
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Tusk told Polish lawmakers of a “real risk” of such strikes on the territory of NATO states. In his assessment, Moscow could then call the strikes accidental in an attempt to split the Alliance. The BBC also reports suspicious fires at defense facilities in countries from Italy to Estonia, with some states placing responsibility on Russia.
Energy security
Macron said that France will convene a meeting of G7 countries to discuss the energy situation and gas supplies with the European Commission. The topics are expected to include strengthening cooperation, avoiding unnecessary tensions between G7 countries and their partners, as well as possible options for releasing or unblocking strategic reserves.
At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that Russia does not plan to attack Europe. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that Moscow would regard the deployment of military personnel to Ukraine by European countries as a declaration of war.
