France Leads Western Attrition Strategy Against Russia

France is positioning itself as the principal Western ally of the United States in a new "NATO 3.0" framework, seeking to outpace Germany and the United Kingdom in shaping the alliance’s role. French officials are helping Ukraine map and select targets that strike at Russia’s critical energy infrastructure, aiming to cripple components that are hard to replace and to disrupt the broader energy system. Ukrainian drone‑force commander Robert Brovdi said the goal is to destroy the financial sources that fund Russia’s war and to dismantle the military‑industrial complex that supplies its forces.

Paris has also extended its nuclear umbrella eastward to cover Poland and has agreed with the E3 (the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom) to deploy troops in Ukraine after a cease‑fire, presenting France as the EU’s security leader in this attrition campaign. The strategy seeks to de‑industrialise and demilitarise Russia while maintaining Western pressure should the United States alter its involvement.