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Nearly 300 vehicles and over 6,000 soldiers marched in France's annual July 14 military parade to commemorate Bastille Day. The historic celebration marks the fall of the monarchy and the birth of modern French democracy.
Alongside the French military and the Coalition of the Willing, troops and vehicles from more than 30 nations marched the traditional route from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde.
During his tenth Bastille Day address as president, Emmanuel Macron emphasized a firm commitment to democratic values: "Yes, we cherish freedom and the rule of law. And yes, we stand ready to fight to defend them, always, and at the cost of blood if necessary."
Projecting a message of European unity, the parade was watched by several key leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Emphasizing the parade's message, France's Deputy Defence Minister Alice Rufo described the military display as a demonstration of European self-reliance and unbroken unity in supporting Ukraine.
To mark Bastille Day, a historic 35-minute light show featuring more than 1,600 drones illuminated the night sky over the Eiffel Tower and the Seine River on Monday.
Firefighters heavily engaged in battling recent wildfires also took part in the ceremony, parading through the route in their service vehicles.
Carrying their signature axes and wearing traditional leather aprons, pioneers of the French Foreign Legion marched in the ceremony, keeping one of the parade's most iconic traditions alive.
The French Republican Guard Band also marched down the Champs-Élysées Avenue during the ceremony, adding to the parade's ceremonial atmosphere.
Heads of state and government from the Coalition of the Willing applauded at the conclusion of the annual Bastille Day military parade at the Place de la Concorde in Paris.
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