French President Emmanuel Macron has directed his government to draw up a comprehensive plan to protect critical national infrastructure and sensitive defence sites against what he described as an escalating campaign of Russian hybrid attacks. Speaking to journalists after meeting party leaders to discuss the security implications of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, Macron said France had already been targeted in recent weeks and warned that such attacks would not go "unanswered."

Hybrid warfare refers to a combination of conventional military pressure and non-military methods — including cyberattacks, sabotage, disinformation campaigns, and the use of proxy actors — designed to destabilise an adversary while maintaining plausible deniability. Russia consistently denies involvement in such operations, despite mounting evidence of its role. Macron specifically called for better defences around railway networks, electricity grids, and the "most sensitive" facilities in France's defence industry and technology sector. "The intent is to intimidate us and break our effort to support Ukraine," he said. "The result will be the exact opposite. We are not intimidated, because we know that our security today and tomorrow is at stake in Ukraine."

Macron pointed to a series of recent incidents across Europe that Western governments have attributed to Russia. Earlier this month, German authorities linked Russia to a drone loaded with explosives discovered near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft at Leipzig airport. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who visited Ukraine on the same day as Macron's remarks, warned his parliament that Russian planning included potential drone and missile strikes on countries supporting Ukraine — with Moscow prepared to claim such strikes were "accidental" in order to fracture NATO unity. Last Sunday, a Russian drone struck a passenger train near the Ukraine-Poland border shortly after a group of senior European security officials had travelled along the same line. Suspicious fires at defence facilities stretching from Italy to Estonia have also raised alarm across the continent.

The French president's announcement places him alongside a growing number of European leaders publicly warning of Russian escalation. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied any intention to attack Europe, though Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that any European military deployment to Ukraine would be considered a declaration of war. Russia also reiterated on Friday that British military facilities in Ukraine used to strike Russian territory would be treated as "legitimate targets."

Beyond security, Macron announced that France would convene a G7 meeting to address energy issues, including gas stock levels and the possible release of strategic reserves — a signal that governments are preparing for potential disruption to energy supplies as hybrid pressure on European infrastructure grows. The combined military and economic dimensions of Russia's pressure campaign, officials suggest, are intended to erode European public and political support for continued aid to Kyiv.