Ukraine to Take Center Stage at France's 2026 Bastille Day Military

Ukraine will be one of the central themes of France's Bastille Day military parade on July 14, with organizers planning a larger event that reflects European security challenges and support for Kyiv, Le Figaro reported this week.

According to the newspaper, the 2026 Bastille Day parade on the Champs-Élysées will be larger than last year's event. About 10,000 military personnel are expected to take part, compared with 7,000 in 2025. The amount of ground and air equipment involved will also increase by roughly 30%.

Two Mirage 2000 fighter jets will be piloted by a Ukrainian and a French pilot, while one of the aircraft will be painted in the colors of Ukraine.

The parade will also feature French units deployed on NATO's eastern flank, including those stationed in Estonia, Poland and Romania.

The report said the concept of the parade was shaped by the current strategic environment and the need to demonstrate the results of France's military rearmament amid Russia's war against Ukraine. 

Representatives from 37 countries that are part of the "coalition of the willing" that support Ukraine and have expressed readiness to provide security guarantees for Kyiv have been invited to Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to hold a separate meeting with them.

Merci pour ce grand geste de solidarité et de soutien envers l'Ukraine et les ukrainiens!