The statement by the US defence secretary follows Washington’s declaration of a troop reduction in Europe.

«Europe needs to take the lead in ensuring its own conventional defense,» declared US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth upon arriving in Normandy on Saturday. He is participating in events commemorating the 82nd anniversary of the 1944 D-Day landings.

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During a session attended by France’s Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin among others, Hegseth urged «allies such as France to seriously acknowledge this reality and demonstrate progress through tangible actions».

On a previous visit to Singapore at the end of May, the US defence chief had already criticized Europeans for having «long neglected» the imperative to bolster their defenses.

Vautrin responded by affirming that France is actively engaged in a «rearmament effort».

These comments come in the context of the US announcing a drawdown of American troops in Europe ahead of the NATO summit planned in Ankara, Turkey, next month.

Meanwhile, the official D-Day ceremonies commenced at 1:00pm CET in Ouistreham.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is awarding certificates and green berets to the relatives of Captain Philippe Kieffer’s 177 French commandos who stormed Sword Beach on June 6, 1944.

The international event is scheduled to start at 4:00pm in Langrune-sur-Mer, attended by ambassadors and officers representing the Allied forces, along with Germany.