He described Russia as “a power of regional destabilisation” and “a threat to Europeans’ security”.

“I have a clear strategic objective: Russia cannot win in Ukraine,” Macron said. “If Russia wins in Ukraine, there will be no security in Europe. Who can pretend that Russia will stop there? What security will there be for the other neighbouring countries, Moldova, Romania, Poland, Lithuania and the others?”

Macron again stated his view that Europe must devise a defence system of its own because it could no longer count on the United States to protect the bloc through NATO, given Republican candidate Donald Trump’s comments and deep divisions within his party.

This would include not only the EU but the European Political Community, a grouping of EU and non-EU states, such as Britain, Macron said. He also said Europe faced aggression from Russia that was both military and aimed at internal disruption through disinformation and cyberattacks.

On Thursday, NATO issued a statement saying members were “deeply concerned” about recent malign activities on Allied territory, namely affecting Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the United Kingdom.

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“These incidents are part of an intensifying campaign of activities which Russia continues to carry out across the Euro-Atlantic area, including on Alliance territory and through proxies,” it said.

Hungary, whose leader, Prime Minister Victor Orban, is seen as the strongest Putin supporter in Europe, took issue with Macron’s latest statements.

“If a NATO member commits ground troops, it will be a direct NATO-Russia confrontation, and then it will be World War III,” Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said.