"Peace has a price": France comments on forecast of the "last peaceful summer"

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has commented on alarming forecasts from European military officials regarding a possible large-scale conflict with Russia, calling on Europe to stay realistic and boost its military strength to deter aggression.

Source: Jean-Noël Barrot in an interview with French newspaper La Tribune Dimanche

Details: Journalists asked the minister to comment on statements from allies and military officials, including German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, who described the summer of 2025 as "the last peaceful summer".

Answering whether there are grounds to believe Russia is preparing to attack a NATO country, Barrot stated that war has already returned to Europe, and the priority now is to secure long-term peace.

Barrot emphasised that achieving lasting peace requires accounting for global changes and Russia's massive rearmament. He noted that Europe's ability to counter the threat depends on its internal, military and moral strength, adding: "Let's be realistic – peace now comes at a price."

When asked to clarify what price he was referring to, the French foreign minister explained that he was talking about the enormous effort involved in rearming Europe.

Barrot pointed out that European nations need to double their military capabilities, calling it the only way to deter further Russian aggression. "In today's geopolitical climate, showing weakness is like marking yourself as prey," he added.

Barrot also criticised some French politicians, such as Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who accused President Macron of exaggerating the Russian threat, calling them "irresponsible leaders" with long-standing ties to the Kremlin. He added that if they were in power, he wouldn't rely on Europe's collective security.

Background:

• On 15 November 2025, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that Russia was building up its military capabilities faster than expected.
• He said that whereas experts had earlier forecast Russia could attack NATO starting in 2029, that timeline has now been moved up to 2028.
• "Last summer (2025 year - ed.) could have been the last summer in peacetime," he emphasised.
• The minister stressed that Putin openly shows his imperial ambitions and urged Europe to speed up its defence preparations.

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