French President Macron pushing for Europe to assert its independence
Macron believes Europe must assert its independence from the US.
Following France’s outrage over a submarine deal between the US and Australia, French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that Europe must assert its independence from the US.
Speaking alongside Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at a press conference to announce a major Franco-Greek defense deal, Macron said Europe must earn the right to be “respected.”
“For a little more than a decade now, the United States has been very focused on itself and has strategic interests that are being reoriented towards China and the Pacific,” Macron said at a news conference about a defense agreement between France and Greece, according to The Washington Post.
“It’s their right,” Macron said, adding that Europe “would be naive, or rather we would make a terrible mistake, if we didn’t want to draw the consequences.”
French officials have expressed outrage after the United States agreed to sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, effectively killing a major deal between France and Australia.
Following the agreement, Macron and President Biden spoke by phone, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian telling Secretary of State Antony Blinken that “time and actions” are required to restore trust.
According to the Washington Post, Macron stated that Europe must be “respected” and that focusing on Europe’s own defense would not be a “alternative to our alliance with the United States.”
He emphasized that the United States is “a great historical ally as well as a value ally That will continue to be the case.”
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has stated that he does not regret signing the agreement with the United States and canceling the one with France.
Macron will continue to push for Europe to assert its independence from United States,“Europe’s goal, vis-a-vis the U.S., should not be maximum independence but maximum interdependence. Make the U.S. more reliant on Europe, and you will make Europe more powerful, not less,” he said.
Man who threw an egg at Macron receiving psychiatric treatment
