Hospitals across France have been thrust into the spotlight as the nation’s Ministry of Health issued a sweeping directive on September 1, 2025, instructing medical facilities to brace for what officials are calling a "major engagement" by March 2026. According to documents obtained by Le Canard Enchaîné and reported by Daily Mail and Daily Star, this unprecedented order is not just about France’s own readiness. It’s about transforming the country into a key hub for treating a potentially massive influx of wounded soldiers—both French and from other European allies—should Europe find itself at war.
The directive is as stark as it is sweeping. It calls on hospitals to "anticipate, prepare and respond to the health needs of the population while integrating the specific needs of defense in the health field." The Ministry of Health further clarified the scenario at hand: "Among the risks identified, therefore, is the hypothesis of a major engagement where the health issue would consist of taking care of a potentially high influx of victims from abroad. It is therefore a question for our health system of anticipating the care of military patients in the civilian health system." (Le Canard Enchaîné)
This move comes as Europe’s security establishment faces mounting anxiety over the possibility of a full-scale military conflict on the continent—one that could see France, with its robust medical infrastructure, becoming the backbone of casualty care for NATO and European Union forces. The urgency is underscored by the timing: the preparations are to be in place by March 2026, giving the health system less than a year to adapt to wartime demands.
Germany, too, is on edge. On the same day as France’s announcement, Germany’s Chief of Defence, Carsten Breuer, publicly stated that both German and NATO forces will be on high alert ahead of Russia’s upcoming Zapad 2025 military drills in Belarus. While Breuer was careful to note that there is "no indication that preparations for an attack are taken under the cover of the exercise," he stressed, "We will be on our guard, not just the German forces, but NATO." (Daily Mail)
The Zapad exercises, conducted every four years and jointly staged by Russian and Belarusian armed forces, have long been a source of concern for NATO. The 2025 iteration, set to take place in Belarus, is viewed by Western officials as a potential cover for more aggressive maneuvers, though so far, intelligence assessments suggest no imminent threat of a direct attack on NATO territory. Still, the symbolism of the exercises is hard to ignore. Images from past drills, such as the 2021 joint operations at the Khmelyovka firing ground and the Mulino army base, serve as a reminder of Russia’s military prowess and its capacity for rapid mobilization.
The backdrop to these preparations is a continent on edge, with fears of a third World War simmering just beneath the surface. In July 2025, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte issued a chilling warning in an interview with The New York Times, suggesting that Russia and China could jointly trigger a global conflict. According to Rutte, a plausible scenario would see China moving to seize Taiwan while Russia simultaneously targets NATO’s eastern flank, particularly the Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—nations that were once part of the Soviet Union.
Rutte painted a stark picture: "If Xi Jinping would attack Taiwan, he would first make sure that he makes a call to his very junior partner in all of this, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, residing in Moscow, and telling him, 'Hey, I'm going to do this, and I need you to keep them busy in Europe by attacking NATO territory.' That is most likely the way this will progress, and to deter them, we need to do two things." (Daily Mail)
What are those two things? According to Rutte, the first is ensuring NATO’s collective strength is so formidable that it deters Russian adventurism. The second is deepening cooperation between NATO and Indo-Pacific allies—something Rutte noted has been championed by former U.S. President Donald Trump, with a focus on defense industry collaboration and innovation.
Rutte’s warnings are not just theoretical. He pointed to Russia’s rapid rearmament, noting, "They are now producing three times as much ammunition in three months as the whole of NATO is doing in a year. This is unsustainable, but the Russians are working together with the North Koreans, with the Chinese and Iranians, the mullahs, in fighting this unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine." (Daily Mail)
On the ground, the evidence of ongoing conflict is all too real. Recent images from Ukraine show soldiers firing mortars towards Russian positions near Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region, a vivid reminder that Europe’s security crisis is not hypothetical—it is unfolding day by day.
France’s preparations extend beyond hospital corridors. Earlier this year, in March 2025, the French government began distributing a comprehensive 20-page survival guide to households across the country. As reported by Daily Star, the booklet covers everything from war and natural disasters to industrial accidents and nuclear incidents. It contains 63 measures designed to bolster the resilience of the population in the face of all types of crises—be they natural, technological, cyber, or security-related. The guide also offers practical advice on how citizens can join local defense initiatives, such as signing up for reserve forces or the fire service.
A spokesperson from the Prime Minister’s office described the manual as an effort to strengthen "the resilience of populations in the face of all types of crisis, whether natural, technological, cyber, or security-related." (Daily Star)
All of this points to a Europe that is not just watching events unfold from a distance but is actively girding itself for the possibility of conflict. The integration of defense needs into civilian healthcare is a major shift—one that blurs the traditional lines between military and civilian sectors. It’s not just about treating battlefield wounds; it’s about ensuring the entire society is ready to respond, from hospitals to homes.
While officials in France and Germany emphasize that these are precautionary measures rather than predictions of imminent war, the sense of urgency is palpable. The continent’s leaders are determined not to be caught off guard, mindful of the lessons of history and the rapidly changing security landscape. As the Zapad 2025 drills approach and tensions with Russia and China remain high, Europe’s preparations may well prove to be a crucial safeguard in uncertain times.
Amid warnings, drills, and government-issued survival guides, one thing is clear: Europe is taking no chances. The coming months will test not only the continent’s military readiness but also its ability to adapt and persevere in the face of crisis. For now, hospitals across France stand ready, their corridors quietly bracing for whatever the future may hold.
