France Adds 36 Billion Euros to Defense Spending Through 2030

France unveiled an updated military planning law on Wednesday that adds 36 billion euros to its defense spending from 2024 to 2030, aiming to bolster its nuclear arsenal, missile stockpiles and drone capabilities amid escalating global security threats.

The revision, presented by the government despite France's significant budget deficit, increases total defense allocations to 449 billion euros over the period. Annual spending will rise to 76.3 billion euros by 2030, equivalent to 2.5 percent of gross domestic product, up from the current level of about 2 percent and nearly double the 2017 figure. The move reflects concerns over conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as uncertainties surrounding United States commitments to NATO.

"Our armed forces must be capable of responding to a major engagement within a timeframe that none of us can predict," Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin said after a meeting of top defense and security officials. In a summary of the bill, she added, "The deep and brutal shift in the balance of international geopolitics forces us to go harder and faster. France has acknowledged the global shift toward enduring and multidimensional conflict."