PARIS, July 11. /TASS/. French Chief of the Defense Staff Thierry Burkhard has declared Russia to be France’s principal security threat.
"Russia poses a threat in nearly every dimension. It represents a persistent, proximate, and in my view, the most significant threat in terms of scale. Above all, Russia remains a genuine military power both in conventional and nuclear capabilities," Burkhard stated during a press conference in Paris which was broadcast on his X account.
The military leader also noted that "France, by virtue of its geographical position and nuclear arsenal, is not the nation facing the greatest immediate threat."
Burkhard acknowledged "the necessity of maintaining military contacts with Russia," though he complained that "such communication occurs at technical levels, which proves insufficient for tension reduction."
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that "Russia has never threatened France, having in fact assisted in defending French independence and sovereignty during two World Wars."