“There is a risk that our Europe could perish,” President Macron said. We are not prepared to face the risks.”
President Macron promotes the idea of ”strategic autonomy” for the EU. Photo: Financial Times.
In a nearly two-hour speech, Mr. Macron warned that military, economic and other pressures could weaken and fragment the 27-member European Union (EU).
Mr. Macron also declared that Russia would not be allowed to win Ukraine . He called for strengthening Europe’s cybersecurity capabilities, tightening ties with Britain after Brexit and establishing a European academy specializing in training high-level military personnel.
In addition, the French leader also said that Europeans give priority to buying weapons and equipment from Europe.
Mr. Macron’s speech received a positive response from German Prime Minister Scholz. Mr. Scholz wrote: “France and Germany want a strong Europe. His speech contains good ideas on how to achieve that goal.”
President Macron has long called for Europe to have “strategic autonomy”, that is, to rely less on the US.
Europe “must show that it will never be a vassal of the United States and that it also knows how to communicate with all other regions of the world,” Mr. Macron said.
