Macron: Europe Cannot Rely On The US For Security
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, made an appeal to create a new European security policy amidst escalating nationalism and extremism.
During his speech at the annual French ambassadors’ conference in Paris, Macron stated that Europe can no longer rely on the United States for military defense:
“Europe can no longer entrust its security to the United States alone. It is up to us to assume our responsibilities and to guarantee European security and thereby sovereignty. Allies today are still extremely important, but balances, and sometimes the reflexes on which they were built, need to be reviewed”
He added, “This enhanced solidarity will involve a review of the European defense and security architecture. This will include initiating renewed dialogue on cyber security, chemical weapons, conventional weapons, territorial conflicts, space security and the protection of polar regions, especially with Russia.”
Since World War II, the European allies except the NATO members Britain and France have been under the wings of the United States.
The NATO alliance is extremely essential to countries such as Poland and the Baltic states which have been controlled by Moscow long before the 1991 collapse of Soviet Union.
Macron suggested that Europe begins to implement a more united stance on security issues after President Donald Trump made repeated demands for Europe’s military defense to be more self-reliant.
During the NATO summit in July, Trump criticized members who haven’t increased their defense budgets and spent at least 2% of their annual economic output.
Macron stressed that France needs to push on with EU reforms because “We’re paying the price of several decades of a Europe that has become bland, weakened and hasn’t made enough suggestions”.
Macron added, “Do China and the United States think of Europe as a power with similar independence to their own? It is not the case.”
Now that is Trump distancing himself from the NATO alliance, Macron strongly believes a reinforced EU integration will enable Europe to cease its dependence on US military.
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