Macron: I want to believe that USA to remain on our side, but we must be ready if not
French President Emmanuel Macron called for being prepared for the fact that the US may “not remain on our side.”
“I want to believe that the United States will remain on our side. But we must be ready if it is not. Regardless of whether peace is achieved in Ukraine quickly or not, European states must, given the Russian threat, be able to better defend themselves and deter any new aggression,” he said in an address to the French, broadcast on the social network X.
Macron noted that the US has changed its position on the Russian war against Ukraine, is less supportive of Kyiv, and “leaves doubts about what will happen next.” At the same time, the United States intends to impose tariffs on products from Europe.
“Yes, whatever happens, we must arm ourselves more, raise our defense posture, and this is for peace itself, for deterrence. In this regard, we remain committed to NATO and our partnership with the United States of America,” he noted.
The French leader stressed that “the future of Europe should not be decided in Washington or Moscow.”
According to Macron, tomorrow in Brussels, at an extraordinary meeting of the European Council, “we will take decisive steps.”
“A series of decisions will be adopted that France has been proposing for several years. Member states will be able to increase their military spending without counting this in their deficit,” Macron said.
He added that “large-scale joint financing will be agreed for the purchase and production of some of the most innovative ammunition, tanks, weapons and equipment in Europe.”
According to Macron, he asked the government to take measures so that “this will strengthen our armed forces as soon as possible, as well as accelerate the reindustrialization of all our regions.” In addition, in the coming days, Macron will meet with the relevant ministers and industrialists in this sector.
“Thus, the Europe of Defense, which we have been advocating for 8 years, is becoming a reality. This means that European countries are more prepared for defense and protection, that they produce together the equipment they need on their own soil, that they are ready to cooperate more to reduce their dependence on the rest of the world,” the president stressed.