French President Emmanuel Macron ordered the armed forces to mobilize in support of civil security against unprecedented wildfires in Gironde and Landes. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced 500 additional troops, bringing the total to around 1,000, along with 1.5 million FFP2 masks, activation of military health services, and deployment of eight new police and gendarmerie units to facilitate evacuations. The government also authorized requisition of construction equipment and public transport for reinforcements, and will deploy protective measures around Seveso-classified industrial sites. The fires have since escalated dramatically: the Gironde fire alone has burned over 42,000 hectares, making it one of the largest since World War II, and forced the evacuation of 197,000 people, including the closure of 60 km of the A63 highway. The French military deployed 1,500 soldiers and used an A400M aircraft for fire retardant drops. In Spain, fires near Madrid and Toledo forced 70,000 evacuations, with two blazes merging into a massive fire that burned 32,000 hectares in Guadalajara. Spain declared a national emergency for the first time due to wildfires. A man died in a separate fire near Valencia. The EU sent additional aircraft and mapping support. The Tour de France stage was shortened due to the fires. The total number of evacuees across both countries exceeded 250,000.

The WHO European office reported a 57% increase in wildfires across the region since 2022, with Portugal and Spain each seeing a 100% rise in 2026 compared to 2025. The warning highlights the growing health impacts of wildfire smoke, which can travel hundreds of kilometers and worsen respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. WHO called on governments to improve early warning systems and public health responses.

The Unédic, France's unemployment insurance body run by social partners, sent a letter to Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on July 23, 2025, demanding an end to state withdrawals from its funds. They attribute a growing debt to state under-compensation of payroll tax exemptions, totaling €12.05 billion since 2023, and warn of a projected deficit of €2.3 billion in 2026 after a planned €4.1 billion state levy. The organization states that net debt will reach €61.5 billion by end of 2026, compared to €49.5 billion without state withdrawals, and that additional borrowing will incur an estimated €1 billion in interest costs between 2023 and 2027. The social partners call for full compensation of exemptions from 2027 to enable debt repayment and preserve the system's role as an economic shock absorber.

Naval Group has signed a Letter of Intent with four Lithuanian research institutions to establish SHIELD Lab, a maritime defense innovation laboratory supporting Lithuania's Multi-Purpose Offshore Patrol Vessel (MP-OPV) program. The company also unveiled an updated MP-OPV design featuring corvette-level armament, including a 76mm gun, VLS, and anti-ship missiles. Lithuania plans to acquire four multirole modular vessels to replace its current fleet, with Naval Group offering technology transfer and integration of Lithuanian defense industry systems. This development underscores Lithuania's efforts to modernize its naval capabilities amid regional security concerns.

The French Ministry of Armed Forces announced the successful first flights of the Heliblade stratospheric drone, developed by X721. The solar-powered drone, with an 18-meter wingspan and under 4 kg mass, is designed to fly for months at over 20,000 meters altitude for intelligence, surveillance, and communications missions, supporting France's very high altitude strategy.