Russian hybrid attacks against Europe intensifying, says Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that the menace of hybrid attacks by Russia against Europe and France has intensified.

In a quality league astatine the Elysee Palace, Macron said helium had called connected the French authorities to hole a program to support captious infrastructure and defence manufacture sites successful the look of this threat.

He said France had been targeted by Russian hybrid attacks successful the past fewer weeks which would not beryllium near "without a response".

A increasing fig of European leaders person warned that Russia whitethorn beryllium preparing attacks to trial their committedness to supporting Ukraine.

The French president was speaking to journalists aft gathering enactment leaders to sermon the information interaction of the wars successful the Middle East and Ukraine.

Macron mentioned past month's drone onslaught connected Leipzig airdrome successful Germany, blamed connected Russia, and remarks by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk suggesting Russia was readying drone and rocket strikes against Poland and different countries connected Nato's eastbound flank.

"In caller weeks, the Russian hybrid menace against Europeans and against France has intensified," helium said.

"The intent is to intimidate america and interruption our effort to enactment Ukraine. The effect volition beryllium the nonstop opposite. We are not intimidated due to the fact that we cognize that our information contiguous and time is astatine involvement successful Ukraine."

Macron added that the authorities had been tasked with protecting captious infrastructure and the "most sensitive" defence manufacture and exertion sites against drone and cyberattacks.

He besides announced that France would telephone a gathering of the G7 to sermon vigor and rise the question of state stocks with the European Commission.

"In the coming weeks, we volition person a G7 gathering devoted to these vigor issues, some to fortify practice and to debar unnecessary tensions betwixt the G7 countries and our main partners," Macron said.

"It volition besides beryllium an accidental to see options for a imaginable merchandise oregon unlocking of strategical reserves."