FRANCE PERSPECTIVE

France: France 24 and Le Monde cover May 9 with a sociological as much as strategic lens. France 24 headlined 'Atmosphere closer to wartime: Moscow's muted Victory Day reflects growing security fears' — a phrase that captures the French analysis: the parade holds, but the mood is that of the front, not a celebration. Le Monde's images show a Red Square without heavy military hardware, partly empty stands, and overwhelming security. France 24 noted that Muscovites' response was 'muted.' Paris, which maintains its Ukraine support policy while keeping a communication channel open with Moscow, reads Putin's anti-NATO speech as an attempt to shore up internal cohesion in the face of a population whose morale is eroding.