France used its Bastille Day military parade to underline European support for Ukraine, with around 500 troops from the "Coalition of the Willing" taking part in Tuesday's procession along the Champs-Élysées. The display came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended a summit in Paris with about 25 leaders from the coalition of Western allies backing Kyiv in its war against Russia. At the meeting, participating countries announced a new air defence coalition aimed at strengthening Ukraine's defences as it faces continued Russian missile and drone attacks alongside shortages of key military supplies. President Emmanuel Macron was joined at the parade by Mr Zelensky, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, among around 30 international leaders invited to attend France's national day celebrations. The ceremony also featured about 25 Ukrainian soldiers marching alongside French and allied forces. The annual flypast included French and allied European military aircraft. Among them were French Mirage fighter jets, with the French presidency saying some were flown alongside Ukrainian pilots currently undergoing training on the aircraft. French officials said the international participation reflected Europe's growing determination to strengthen its collective security in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "It will be a historic parade because of this international dimension," a French presidential adviser said before the event, describing it as "a strong signal that Europe is waking up" to an increasingly dangerous security environment. The Kremlin said it was closely monitoring Monday's Coalition of the Willing summit, characterising the countries involved as "hostile". Speaking on Monday, Mr Macron warned that Europe faced its most serious security threats in decades and must be prepared to invest more heavily in its own defence. "The message we're sending to the world is the following: yes, peace is our goal, yes, we cherish freedom and the rule of law, and yes, we stand ready to fight to defend them, even at the cost of blood if necessary," the French president said. Photo by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from Washington D.C, United States, Wikimedia commons.
