On September 18 at 10:30, Emmanuel Macron gathered the leaders of France’s parliamentary parties and potential presidential candidates at the Élysée Palace. The closed-door meeting lasted more than three hours. The Élysée described the agenda as the rapid deterioration of the international situation and preparations for a crisis involving military hostilities.
The meeting included not only politicians but also the heads of France’s domestic, foreign and military intelligence services, military commanders, the SGDSN, and the director general for energy affairs. French intelligence services conducted a separate briefing before the meeting.
The main task of the security bloc was to brief potential future leaders of France on the situation in Ukraine, the Middle East, Russian hybrid operations, and the consequences of these developments for France’s security and energy sector.
Fabien Roussel said that the president and intelligence services had effectively indicated that a rapid resolution of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East was no longer expected. The conflicts could continue, with the crisis persisting. Édouard Philippe said the level of threats to France linked to Russia’s war against Ukraine was increasing.
After the closed session, Macron publicly stated that Russia’s hybrid threat against Europeans and France had intensified in recent weeks. This includes sabotage, cyberattacks, drones, attacks on critical infrastructure, disinformation and interference in democratic processes. Macron instructed the government to prepare a separate plan to protect France’s critical infrastructure, particularly sensitive defense-industrial facilities, from drones, cyberattacks and other hybrid operations.
Energy security was another major issue. Macron warned that the energy crisis would continue to affect France in the coming weeks. France is convening a G7 meeting on energy and has asked the European Commission to accelerate work on European gas reserves.
Another concern discussed at the Vega meeting was the possibility of Russian hybrid attacks involving drones and missiles against countries supporting Ukraine, including Poland. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, citing intelligence assessments, warned that Moscow could attempt to test NATO unity while presenting such incidents as accidental. The head of French intelligence indicated that the threat was real.
The situation after more than three hours at Vega can be summarized as follows: a rapid end to the war is not expected; Russian hybrid activity is increasing; France considers itself a direct target; critical infrastructure is being placed under enhanced protection; and intelligence services are briefing potential candidates for the 2027 presidential election on the current security environment.
Macron brought together potential future leaders of France in a closed crisis center to warn them about prolonged military instability in Europe and the escalation of Russian aggression.
Europe is preparing for a prolonged confrontation and a period of heightened security risks.