France must be prepared ‘psychologically’ to ‘lose children’ in a potential war with Russia, an army chief has warned.
Chief of the defence staff general Fabien Mandon told a meeting of local mayors that the nation had the ‘know-how’ – but not the ‘will’ to fight, despite fears that Vladimir Putin is preparing an attack on a Nato member by 2030.
European powers, including France, have backed Ukraine with increasing supplies of weapons but have always insisted they are not directly involved.
Mandon said: ‘We have all the knowledge, the economic and demographic strength to deter the Russian regime from trying its luck by going further.
‘What we lack, and this is where you have a major role to play, is the strength of spirit to accept suffering in order to protect who we are.
‘If our country falters because it is not prepared to accept – let’s be honest – to lose its children, to suffer economically because defence production will take precedence, then we are at risk.’
The general previously told a defence magazine that Russia ‘did not know peace’ and that western Europeans had lived in times of relative stability for so long they find it hard to comprehend danger around them.
His words attracted condemnation from several politicians, including from Jen-Luc Melenchon, the leader of the left-wing France Unbowed party, who said he ‘totally disagreed’ with the warning.
Sébastien Chenu, a member of Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally, said that the general did not have ‘legitimacy’ to comment on such policy matters and had made an ‘error’.
However his co-member Louis Aliot reiterated Mandon’s point that one had to be ‘ready to die for his country’ to ensure its survival.
This comes after a similar warning from Ukraine’s former defence minister, Dmytro Kuleba, who told the Metro that mothers in Britain will soon have to make an inconceivable choice – send their sons to fight against Russian soldiers in Europe, or suffer the end of Nato.
Mandon had previously told the party’s defence committee that France could face a ‘test’ from Russia within just three or four years, the BBC reported.
Speaking on behalf of the government, defence minister Catherine Vautrin said it was essential to foster a sense of ‘collective moral force’ in order to be prepared for a possible future conflict.
‘Our policy is to do everything to avoid war but at the same time prepare, and consolidate that collective moral force without which no nation can survive the test’, she said.
It comes as Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine faces one of the most difficult moments in its history after being presented with Donald Trump’s 28-point plan to end the war.
The proposals would see Ukraine barred from joining Nato, while Russia would be readmitted to the G8 as well as keep hold of the Donbas region.
Ukraine would also have to significantly shrink its armed forces and commit to holding elections within 100 days.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.