French would ‘lose children’ in potential war with Russia – army chief

France’s top general, Fabien Mandon, is facing backlash after saying the country must be ready to “lose children” in a potential conflict with Russia. Moscow has dismissed Western speculation that it has any plans to attack the EU or NATO as “nonsense.”

Mandon, who was appointed chief of staff in September, made the remarks at an annual gathering of mayors in Paris this week. He urged officials to prepare citizens “to accept suffering in order to protect who we are.”

The general, who previously suggested that France could be at war with Russia by 2028, argued that the country has the economic and demographic power to “deter” Moscow, but lacks the “strength of spirit.”

He claimed that if France “is not prepared to accept to lose its children, to suffer economically because priorities will be given to defense production, then we are at risk.”

Mandon’s remarks prompted swift pushback across the political spectrum. Communist Party leader Fabien Roussel accused him of using “unbearable warmongering rhetoric.” 

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the head of the left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party, wrote on X it is not the general’s role to “anticipate sacrifices that would result from our diplomatic failures.”

France has repeatedly cited the supposed Russian threat as a pretext to ramp up military spending despite its ballooning budget deficit – at €3.35 trillion ($3.9 trillion), or 113% of GDP, it is one of the highest in the EU. France plans to hike military spending to €64 billion in 2027, nearly double what it spent in 2017. Left-wing parties have accused the government of prioritizing military spending over social welfare.

Moscow has dismissed claims that it plans to attack EU countries, saying the allegations are being used by European politicians to scare people and justify growing military spending. Russia has maintained that it is defending its citizens in the Ukraine conflict, accusing NATO of provoking the hostilities.