French hospitals have been asked to prepare for a possible war in Europe, while Germany has announced that it is on alert for possible conflict due to Russian military exercises.
According to documents obtained by the newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné, the French Ministry of Health has asked health institutions across the country to prepare for a possible 'major commitment' by March 2026.
The French government is envisioning a scenario where the country will play a supporting role, with the capacity to receive a massive number of wounded soldiers from France and other European countries. The aim of this order is to anticipate, prepare for and respond to the health needs of the population, while also integrating the specific needs of the defense in the health field.
"Among the risks identified, there is also the hypothesis of a major military commitment, where the health challenge will be to care for a large influx of victims from abroad. This is a matter for our health system - to provide for the treatment of military patients in the civilian healthcare system," the French Ministry of Health said in a statement.
This development comes after the statement of the head of German defense, Carsten Breuer, who said that NATO and German forces will be on alert during Russian military exercises.
Breuer stressed that he does not expect Vladimir Putin's forces to attack NATO territory during the Zapad 2025 exercise in Belarus, but added that Germany "will be on... alert."
"We have no indication that preparations are being made for an attack under the guise of this exercise. But we will be vigilant - not only German forces, but also NATO," he stressed.
The developments come amid global fears that the world is on the brink of a Third World War, which NATO chief Mark Rutte has said could be triggered by Russia and China. He warned in July that combined attacks by the leaders of China and Russia could trigger a world war scenario and push the planet to the brink of catastrophe.
According to Rutte, China will try to invade Taiwan, while warning that Kremlin boss Putin could attack NATO territory - amid fears he is targeting the Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which were once part of the Soviet Union.