Nearly 6,700 soldiers, over 300 vehicles, 98 planes, and 31 helicopters took part in the famous traditional parade for France’s National Day, along the route from the Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Concorde. Under the watchful eyes of President Emmanuel Macron and Western leaders, detachments of soldiers from Moldova and Ukraine also marched under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, reports IPN.
It was the largest military parade ever organized for Bastille Day, notes the French press, which mentions that the guest of honor was the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The parade was an opportunity for France to showcase its military capabilities and unity with allied states: hundreds of soldiers from 35 countries marched alongside the French. The flag-bearing group of the National Army’s Honor Guard Company also passed under the Arc de Triomphe.
From the official tribune, dozens of Western leaders attended, among them the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, the British Prime Minister, Kier Starmer, and the President of Romania, Nicusor Dan.