France is actively involved in very close defense relations with its principal European allies, the UK and Germany, as well as with the United States.
In 1966, due to souring relations between Washington and Paris because of the refusal to integrate France's nuclear deterrent with other North Atlantic powers, or to accept any collective form of control over its armed forces, French president Charles de Gaulle downgraded France's membership in NATO and withdrew France ...
France is Germany's closest and most important partner in Europe. There is no other country with which we coordinate so regularly and intensively at all political levels and in all areas.
Bilateral relations. France's recognition of the People's Republic of China on 27 January 1964 marked the beginning of official relations. The French-Chinese relationship was raised to the level of “global strategic partnership” in 2004.
In 1966, President Charles de Gaulle decided to withdraw France from NATO's integrated military structure. This reflected the desire for greater military independence, particularly vis-à-vis the United States, and the refusal to integrate France's nuclear deterrent or accept any form of control over its armed forces.
The policies of French President Nicolas Sarkozy resulted in a major reform of France's military position, culminating with the return to full membership on 4 April 2009, which also included France rejoining the NATO Military Command Structure but maintaining an independent nuclear deterrent.
2009: France rejoins the integrated military organization. 2010: Seventh Strategic Concept, in effect until the Madrid Summit of June 2022. The Alliance's three core tasks are defined: collective defence, crisis management and cooperative security.
France has been since March 2022 on Russia's "Unfriendly Countries List" (red). Countries and territories on the list have imposed or joined sanctions against Russia.
France is actively involved in very close defense relations with its principal European allies, the UK and Germany, as well as with the United States.
The two countries are important partners for each other due to their memberships of the European Union and NATO. In addition, our analyses converge on many international policy issues (peacekeeping, interest in preventive actions in Africa, primacy of international law, environment).
The two countries have had a friendly and strategic alliance for decades and are full members of many international organizations, including the UN, the European Union, NATO, WTO and OSCE. Greece has been a full member of the Francophonie organization since 2004.
France, as a neighbouring country and founding member of the European Union (EU), is a priority partner of Swiss foreign policy. Relations between the two countries are governed by numerous bilateral treaties and by the agreements concluded between Switzerland and the EU.
Australia is one NATO's partners in the Indo-Pacific region, together with Japan, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand. The Indo-Pacific region is important for the Alliance, given that developments in that region can directly affect Euro-Atlantic security.
Russia–NATO relations started to substantially deteriorate following the Ukrainian Orange Revolution in 2004–05 and the Russo-Georgian War in 2008. On 1 April 2014, NATO unanimously decided to suspend all practical co-operation as a response to the Russian annexation of Crimea.
In 1966, at a very famous press conference, de Gaulle announced that he was pulling out of NATO's military structure and ordered SHAPE out of France.
Summary. France is one of the oldest U.S. allies, dating to 1778 when the French monarchy recognized the independence of the United States. French military and economic assistance during the American War of Independence (1775-81) was crucial to the American victory.
France has the eighth largest defence budget in the world and the second in the European Union (EU). It also has the largest military by size in the EU. According to Credit Suisse, the French Armed Forces are ranked as the world's sixth-most powerful military.
Political relations
The two countries see one another as key partners within international institutions and crucial stakeholders both in their respective regions and within the international community. As Pacific nations, France and Japan are committed to peace and stability in the region.
Diplomatic relations between France and Ukraine were established in 1992. Since 2006, Ukraine is an observer in the Francophonie.
From the very first day of the conflict, France and its European Union partners chose to stand firmly alongside Ukraine and its people.
France strongly supports Ukraine in its reform efforts and in meeting before the end of 2023 the required conditions, looking forward to the European Commission's report, with a view to start accession negotiations. Ukraine and France call on the EU to continue supporting the country in all fields.
No countries have left NATO since its founding. Currently, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization now covers a total area of 27,131,087 km2 (10,475,371 sq mi), since the accession of Finland on 4 April 2023.
Did you know that France hosted NATO for 15 years? And that although it withdrew from NATO's military structure in 1966, it remained an Ally?
Japan is one NATO's partners in the Indo-Pacific region, together with Australia, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand. The Indo-Pacific region is important for the Alliance, given that developments in that region can directly affect Euro-Atlantic security.