French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Friday 18 September 2026 that what he described as the Russian hybrid threat against France and European countries had intensified in recent weeks, stressing that these actions would not go unanswered, without revealing the nature of any measures Paris might take.
Élysée meeting discusses rising threats
Macron made the remarks after a meeting at the Élysée Palace with French party leaders and political figures to discuss developments in the international situation and their implications for France's security and energy sector. He said the nature of Russian threats in Europe was changing and that the situation required a high level of vigilance. The French president requested a plan to protect critical infrastructure from hybrid attacks.
Macron said these actions were aimed at intimidating European countries and weakening their support for Ukraine, stressing that France would not retreat from backing Kyiv. He added that deterrence required not announcing steps in advance, warning Moscow against continuing to act in the same way towards Europeans.
At the same time, Macron stressed the need to keep channels of communication open with Russia and avoid being drawn into a state of war with it, while strengthening the protection of critical facilities and preparing to respond to threats attributed to it.
