France hopes to send ‘strategic signal’ about Europe’s renewed military focus at Bastille Day celebrations – Europe live

Over 300 vehicles and 6,500 soldiers will march down the iconic Champs-Élysées in central Paris this morning as part of today’s Bastille Day celebration in Paris, which is set to “send a strategic signal” about France and Europe’s military awakening. Troops get ready for the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees Avenue with the Arc de Triomphe in the background in Paris. Photograph: Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images Marking the importance of international cooperation, the parade will also include 500 troops from the countries involved in the Coalition of the Willing, including Germany, and 25 soldiers from Ukraine . It will be Emmanuel Macron’s tenth – and final – parade ahead of next year’s presidential election. He has a strong guest list this year, though, with many leaders staying overnight after yesterday’s talks on Ukraine, including Volodymyr Zelenskyy himself. The parade begins 10am local time (9am BST) and we will show it here, bringing you all the key updates. A French flag flies as members of French security services observe the Place de la Concorde from the top of the National Assembly prior to the start of the annual Bastille Day military parade in Paris, France. Photograph: Tom Nicholson/Reuters Elsewhere, we are expecting some news from Brussels with Albania, Moldova, Montenegro and Ukraine all making progress in their accession talks with the European Union. Marta Kos, the EU’s enlargement commissioner, called it a “Super Tuesday.” “In the for more than two decades, we have not had four accession conferences in one day, and this will happen today,” she said. Montenegro is the frontrunner to join the EU next with more than half of “clusters” closed, Kos said, but all four countries are making good progress in delivering the reforms requested of them. Lots for us to cover. I will bring you all the latest here. It’s Tuesday, 14 July 2026 , it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live . Good morning.