‘Thank You, Putin’: Why France’s envoy to India thanked the Russian president

In a chat with ThePrint newsroom, Mathou said Europe’s push for defence & autonomy, though gradual, is a direct result of Moscow’s war in Ukraine & the ‘new consciousness’ it created.

French Ambassador Thierry Mathou in ThePrint newsroom | Photo: Praveen Jain/ThePrint

New Delhi: Thierry Mathou, France’s ambassador to India, offered a ‘provocative’ assessment of Europe’s shifting security priorities and thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for bringing ‘a new consciousness’ to Europe.

Speaking at an interaction with ThePrint’s newsroom Wednesday, Mathou argued that Europe’s renewed commitment to defence and strategic autonomy is a direct consequence of Moscow’s aggression, and the resulting “new consciousness” across the continent.

“It may be provocative, but we have to say thank you, Mr Putin, for many things,” he added before saying, “No, of course, it’s not the fact—but because of the aggression war of Russia in Ukraine, there was a new consciousness in Europe.”

Mathou framed Russia’s war not just as a crisis for Ukraine but as a wake-up call for all of Europe. “The war in Ukraine is not only about Ukraine. If we care so much, of course, it’s because of the fate of our friends in Ukraine. But it’s also because our own security is at stake and not only in the eastern part of Europe, but all of Europe,” he added.

He further noted that other European countries are now scrambling to rebuild what they had earlier neglected. “There is once again a consciousness of all the member countries in Europe that we need to do something for ourselves,” he said. “And the only solution is strategic autonomy for Europe. The only solution is European defence.”

Mathou then praised Germany’s dramatic policy shift as evidence of this transformation. “What has been decided in Germany in the defence sector is quite remarkable—the impressive increase of the budget and defence. Who would have thought this 10 years ago? So this is really a leapfrog evolution.”

Leaning on defence to lift growth

As France grapples with a widening deficit, the government is increasingly looking to its defence industry to power the economy. Under Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu—who was previously defence minister—France has become the world’s second-largest arms exporter, accounting for nearly 10 per cent of global weapons sales—far behind the United States but well ahead of Russia and China.

In March, France’s Economy Minister Éric Lombard called for a “war economy”, echoing pressure from the political right for spending cuts and fiscal restraint. With most sectors sluggish, only defence giants such as Thales and Dassault have buoyed the CAC 40, France’s benchmark stock index of the country’s forty highest-valued companies, this year.

Dassault, in particular, has ramped up foreign deals, supplying Rafale fighter jets to Egypt, Qatar, India, Greece, the UAE, Indonesia and Serbia. More than half its orders now come from abroad. In April this year, New Delhi signed a €7 billion agreement with Paris for buying 26 Rafales, with plans for up to 114 more, worth over €15 billion, under discussion.

Later in July, France reaffirmed its ambition to lead Europe’s defence buildup, unveiling a new strategic review that calls for deeper cooperation with Germany and stronger European autonomy within NATO.

The 100-page document outlines France’s defence priorities through 2030 in response to what it calls a “changing strategic context”. It emphasises the “essential role” of the Franco-German partnership in building Europe’s defence capacity, while also citing ties with the UK, Italy and Spain.

President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to raise France’s defence budget by €3.5 billion in 2026 and another €3 billion in 2027—on top of increases already planned under the 2024–2030 military spending law. He said the boost should come from “more activity and more production”, not new debt.

But the proposal faces headwinds. With France’s deficit at 5.4 per cent of GDP — well above the EU’s 3 per cent cap — the debate has already exposed divisions within the government.

A unified European defence response

At the European level, the strategy backs new joint funding tools, including the Commission’s proposed €150 billion SAFE programme for collective defence procurement. EU states have until December to submit projects, and France is expected to contribute in areas such as space communications, air defence and strategic air transport, though Paris has yet to confirm its participation.

Yet, Mathou cautioned that forging a unified European defence would take time. “We are lots of countries, with different approaches,” he said, adding, “This is also, to some extent, a democracy. We don’t have the same views. The beauty of the EU is that we often disagree. But in the end, we find the consensus.”

Still, he said he was optimistic that Europe would emerge stronger from the conflict. “Because of this war of aggression,” he said, “we are the before, and we’ll have an after. And one of the consequences will be the stronger defence at the European level.”

(Edited by Shashank Kishan)