European cooperation

Dear friends of the Army,

Europe was experiencing a period of peace. In a brutal way, war has returned to our continent.

We certainly belong to one of the richest generations in history, we live in one of the richest areas of the globe. Many thought they could turn a blind eye and ignore the threats to this opulence. War is now the focus of attention, and the Russian invasion, characterized by "ground" operations, illustrates that yesterday and tomorrow, confrontations will continue to take place in the state of confusion that characterizes the terrestrial environment.

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia reminds us of the words of Georges Clemenceau who wrote in 1913 "if catastrophe is inevitable, we must prepare ourselves to face it with all our effort".

My intention remains unchanged: to be ready; to have a hardened Army, capable of engaging in all conflicts up to major engagements. Such commitments must be considered with our European partners.

Within the framework of its presidency of the Council of the European Union, France has sought to revitalize the Common Security and Defense Policy, in order to make Europe more powerful and capable of carrying weight in strategic competition. The Versailles Declaration, adopted on 10 March, shares and confirms this ambition to strengthen European defense capabilities. In the wake of the seventh forum of the European CEMATs, this newsletter offers you the opportunity to discover, in all their diversity, the cooperative actions between the Army and its partners.

General Pierre Schill

Chief of Staff of the French Army