French President Emmanuel Macron made the case Thursday for a stronger, more independent European Union, arguing that Europe needs a more credible defense policy to stand up to Russia and not be a strategic “vassal” to the United States.
In a sprawling speech delivered under the soaring ceilings of the Sorbonne in Paris, Macron outlined his updated vision for Europe’s “strategic autonomy,” including plans to bolster European defense production and expand industrial policy to stand firm against Russia and compete with economic superpowers that no longer play by free-trade rules.
It comes as Europe tries to maintain momentum on Ukraine aid and mulls what the potential return of Donald Trump to the American presidency might mean for the continent.
Thursday’s speech was pitched as the sequel to a talk Macron delivered in the same setting in 2017 — and he could not stop himself from making it something of an “I told you so” moment.
Though the United States is still very much NATO’s most powerful member and the key guarantor of European security, Macron envisioned a time when Europe will be able to defend itself against Russia without American help.
The speech included several pointed references to the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act and suggested that both the United States and China have decided to abandon the global-trade rule book and go it alone.
The original article contains 622 words, the summary contains 225 words. Saved 64%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
French President Emmanuel Macron made the case Thursday for a stronger, more independent European Union, arguing that Europe needs a more credible defense policy to stand up to Russia and not be a strategic “vassal” to the United States.
In a sprawling speech delivered under the soaring ceilings of the Sorbonne in Paris, Macron outlined his updated vision for Europe’s “strategic autonomy,” including plans to bolster European defense production and expand industrial policy to stand firm against Russia and compete with economic superpowers that no longer play by free-trade rules.
It comes as Europe tries to maintain momentum on Ukraine aid and mulls what the potential return of Donald Trump to the American presidency might mean for the continent.
Thursday’s speech was pitched as the sequel to a talk Macron delivered in the same setting in 2017 — and he could not stop himself from making it something of an “I told you so” moment.
Though the United States is still very much NATO’s most powerful member and the key guarantor of European security, Macron envisioned a time when Europe will be able to defend itself against Russia without American help.
The speech included several pointed references to the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act and suggested that both the United States and China have decided to abandon the global-trade rule book and go it alone.
The original article contains 622 words, the summary contains 225 words. Saved 64%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!