France showcased its military power and unity with allies on Tuesday, holding its largest-ever national day parade with Ukraine's president as guest of honour as European rearmament gathers pace in the face of Russia's war against Ukraine.
For the final Bastille Day parade presided over by President Emmanuel Macron, the event brought together thousands of French troops but also two dozen foreign heads of state and government, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and hundreds of European troops.
The parade, which marks the storming of the Bastille fortress in the French revolution, is being held a day after Macron hosted a new summit of Ukraine's allies some four-and-a-half years into the full-scale Russian invasion of its neighbour.
Other European leaders witnessing the parade included German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and, on one of his last foreign engagements, British Premier Keir Starmer, who has spearheaded with Macron European efforts to support Ukraine but is now stepping down.
With nearly 6,700 troops, 98 aircraft, 31 helicopters and 315 vehicles, a record number of military personnel were marching the traditional route between the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde.
