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French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot said France remains committed to its obligations within NATO while also working with allies on long-term security guarantees for Ukraine through the so-called “coalition of the willing.”
Speaking ahead of the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Helsingborg, Barrot highlighted France’s recently updated military programming law, which provides for an additional €36 billion in defense spending between 2026 and 2030.
“The current security situation requires solidarity within the Alliance,” Barrot said, adding that the increased military spending would allow France to fulfill the commitments made at last year’s NATO summit.
The French minister sharply criticized calls by some French political figures to withdraw from NATO, calling such proposals “completely irresponsible.”
“In the world we live in today, we need these mechanisms of solidarity more than ever,” Barrot stated. “Calls to leave NATO are clearly unreasonable and entirely irresponsible.”
He stressed that such rhetoric is particularly dangerous amid growing Russian pressure on NATO’s eastern flank, especially against the Baltic states.
“Some of our partners, particularly the Baltic states, have in recent days been under continuous pressure because of Russia’s aggressiveness,” he said. “They would perceive any distancing from NATO as a betrayal.”
Barrot also emphasized that France’s strong role inside NATO is fully compatible with parallel European security initiatives, including the Franco-British-led “coalition of the willing” aimed at preparing future security guarantees for Ukraine.
He described the coalition’s military planning efforts as unprecedented in recent European history and said they are intended to ensure that any future peace in Ukraine is “truly lasting.”
The remarks come as NATO allies intensify discussions over long-term defense commitments, military production, and collective deterrence in response to continued Russian aggression and growing security concerns across Europe.
