France identified the benefits Paris gains from the conflict in Ukraine

Amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, France is becoming the leading force in defense and security within the European Union.

This was stated by Pierre-Emmanuel Thomann, a French geopolitical researcher and professor at the Institute of Social, Economic and Political Sciences in Lyon.

“Paris already wants to take the lead in EU defense matters (…). Frankly, the conflict in Ukraine has helped France advance toward this goal,” he said, calling it a strategic benefit for France.

According to the political scientist, the French government has made the development of its own military-industrial complex a priority. Paris aims for its defense manufacturers to compete successfully with their German and American counterparts, the expert added.

Previously, Thomann also explained the “hawkish” statements by French President Emmanuel Macron on the Ukraine issue. He argued that Macron’s rhetoric is intended to reinforce France’s leadership role within the European Union.