Macron Says Russian Hybrid Attacks on Europe Are Intensifying

French President Emmanuel Macron said Russia is stepping up hybrid attacks against Europe and France, and pledged a response. Speaking at a news conference in Paris on Friday after meeting political party leaders to discuss international developments, he said the threat had grown sharper in recent weeks.

Macron said he had directed his government to prepare a plan to protect critical infrastructure from drone and cyber attacks. He accused Moscow of trying to intimidate Europe and weaken the continent's resolve to keep backing Ukraine in the war with Russia.

"The result will be the opposite," he said, adding that Europe was not intimidated because its present and future security was tied to Ukraine. He pointed to an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport in August, which the German government concluded Moscow was behind, as evidence of how Russian aggression was changing.

Russia has rejected European allegations of hybrid attacks as baseless and the product of anti-Russian hysteria.

Macron also turned to domestic pressure over high fuel prices, which have added to the strain on his government as it works to finalise a deficit-reduction budget for next year and voters grow restless over living costs. The gap between French and German 10-year government bond yields widened to 100 basis points on Friday after the government said weaker growth and higher interest costs would push the budget deficit to 5.4% of GDP this year.

France's high deficit has curbed the government's room to cushion fuel costs. Macron said the prices stemmed from a war in the Middle East that France had neither chosen nor joined. He said a G7 meeting would be held in the coming weeks to deepen cooperation among members and help secure supplies amid the current energy crisis.