The American newspaper “Politico” quotes French President Emmanuel Macron as saying that the “great danger” facing Europe is “engaging in crises that are not its own.”
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Macron: Europe must reduce its dependence on the United States
mentioned American Politico newspaperToday, Sunday, that French President Emmanuel Macron considers that the “great danger” facing Europe is “engaging in crises that are not its own.”
In an interview with the newspaper on his plane, the French president said that Europe should “reduce its dependence on the United States” and avoid being drawn into a confrontation between China and the United States over Taiwan.
Speaking to Politico, Macron reiterated his theory of “strategic autonomy” for a Europe that France would lead to become a “third great power”.
He believed that the “great danger” facing Europe is that it is “stuck in crises that are not among its own, which prevents it from building its strategic independence.”
“The paradox is that if it is overcome by panic, we think we will become mere followers of America,” Macron said. “The question that Europeans have to answer is is it in our interest to precipitate a crisis in Taiwan? No.”
He pointed out, “The worst thing is the belief that we, the Europeans, should become followers on this issue and take our cue from the American agenda and the Chinese exaggerated reaction.”
The French president also argued that “Europe has increased its dependence on the United States for weapons and energy, and must now focus on strengthening European defense industries.”
Macron also suggested that Europe reduce its dependence on the “extraterritoriality of the US dollar,” adding: “If tensions intensify between the two superpowers…we will have neither the time nor the resources to finance our strategic independence…we will become dependent.”
It is noteworthy that the French President had called, last December, on European countries to be more decisive and strong in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and to reduce dependence on the United States in the field of security.
Earlier, the Chinese “CGTN” website spoke in an article about Macron’s ambitions to achieve greater European strategic independence and reduce dependence on Washington.
