French President Emmanuel Macron joked on Thursday about an eye problem, which he called "completely harmless", during his New Year's address to the French armed forces.
Macron's eye was swollen and red during his speech at the military base in Istres, southern France. Earlier, during an outdoor inspection of troops, he had worn sunglasses.
"Please excuse the poor appearance of the eye. Of course, it is completely undamaged," he said, adding that this could be seen as an unintentional reference to the "Eye of the Tiger."
He alluded to the title of the famous song by the American band "Survivor" from the 1982 film Rocky III, starring Sylvester Stallone.
Macron's speech covered the main challenges for the military in 2026, from accelerating France's rearmament and continuing support for Ukraine, to the decision to send troops to Greenland as a sign of support for Denmark.
He warned that "a new colonialism is emerging in some parts of the world" and that "history forgives neither poor preparation nor weakness."
"Europeans have a special responsibility, because this territory belongs to the European Union," the French leader emphasized. /Telegraph/
