France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech in front of Dassault Rafale and Dassault Mirage 2000 fighter aircrafts during his visit to the French Air and Space Force (Armee de l'air et de l'espace) Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur Airbase, France March 18, 2025. Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS
LUXEUIL-LES-BAINS, France (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron said France would order additional Rafale warplanes in the coming years and invest nearly 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) into one of its air bases to equip its squadrons with the latest nuclear missile technology.
Jolted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump's more confrontational stance towards traditional Western allies, European countries are hiking defence spending and seeking to reduce dependence on the United States.
