In an interview with The Economist, French President Emmanuel Macron warned of imminent danger in Europe, stressing the possibility that “things could fall apart quickly” in a situation of heightened tensions. While Macron's popularity in France has seen better days, the warning comes at a time when relations with Germany face challenges.
While Germany, along with the United States and the United Kingdom, has ruled out direct involvement in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Macron has suggested sending French and NATO troops to the region is still under consideration. “All options are possible,” he said, adding that the use of Taurus missiles in Ukraine, an option previously mentioned, was rejected by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for fear of drawing Germany into an armed conflict.
Tensions surrounding potential NATO involvement in Ukraine are clear, particularly between France and Germany. However, Macron reiterated that France was determined to prevent Russia from gaining ground by maintaining a non-enlargement stance.
However, he insists that caution by Ukraine's allies “will encourage Russia to move forward” in putting troops on the ground. Referring to Moscow, Macron opined that Europe is too hesitant to “define the limits of our action by who no longer exists and who is the occupier.”
The French president also highlighted the need for Europe to remain militarily dependent on the United States, defending the debate on the creation of a new structure for European security that would include the United Kingdom and Norway. Macron also stressed the urgency for Europe to catch up behind the US and China in industry, particularly in the fields of renewable energy and artificial intelligence, in order to create a “new framework for European security”.
However, Macron acknowledged the challenges facing Europe in terms of political fragility and the work needed to make the continent safer. As part of the solution to these obstacles, he proposed measures such as doubling investments in research, deregulating industry, and liberalizing capital markets.
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