Alliot-Marie, speaking at the French cultural center in Budapest before a group of students and representatives from the Hungarian foreign and defense ministries, said that European countries could make themselves heard only if they joined together.

She said that Europe's defense ambitions would not threaten the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as feared by some countries.

"For us, NATO remains the ultimate defense against any danger threatening Europe," she said. "But the alliance must adapt in order to face new threats."

Alliot-Marie was on a one-day trip to Hungary during which she also met with her counterpart Ferenc Juhasz as well as Foreign Minister Peter Medgyessy.

WAR.WIRE