Key facts
- European troops and warplanes are participating in Paris's Bastille Day parade.
- The event aims to demonstrate support for Ukraine and European military unity.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is attending the parade.
- Approximately 500 troops from countries supporting Ukraine will march.
- Aircraft from multiple European nations will perform an aerial display.
- France is experiencing a heatwave and forest fires, leading to some holiday event cancellations.
European troops and warplanes are participating in France's annual Bastille Day parade in Paris, an event framed as a demonstration of unity and support for Ukraine. The parade, held on July 14, commemorates the storming of the Bastille fortress in 1789, a pivotal moment in the French Revolution.
French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and approximately 30 other leaders for the occasion. Macron stated that the event illustrates Europe's strategic reawakening and unity, emphasizing that peace is the goal but freedom must be defended. The parade will feature around 500 troops from countries that have pledged support for Ukraine's post-war security, forming the 'coalition of the willing.' Ukrainian soldiers will march alongside French soldiers, and Ukrainian-trained co-pilots will fly French fighter jets.
The aerial display will include aircraft from Germany, the United Kingdom, and other European nations. The event proceeds despite a scorching heatwave affecting Paris and surrounding areas, which has led to some fireworks bans and a forest blaze outside the capital.
This year's parade is Macron's last as president before he steps down next year. The event also occurs on the anniversary of the 2016 Nice Bastille Day attack, where a truck driver killed 86 people.