Macron Says Europe Defense Must Be More Independent

President of France Emmanuel Macron said that European defense needs to become more independent, as well as Europe’s energy supplies, in the aftermath of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Macron said that Russia’s invasion had “changed the era” across all of Europe and that he will be calling together a summit of European leaders next week to discuss how to address all of the unprecedented challenges. 

The French president made the remarks in a 14-minute address on primetime television. In the TV address, he warned that tough economic times are coming and that the country faces upheaval and higher prices as France and the rest of the region dedicate to weaning themselves off of Russian gas and fossil fuels, and becoming self-sufficient in energy production. 

Macron also addressed defense issues and questions about food production, saying that France and its European partners can no longer depend on others to feed, care, inform, and finance them. This reliance, he said, also extends to defense, saying that they cannot depend on anyone else to defend Europe by land, sea, air, space, or cyberspace. 

Economic pain is ahead, Macron said, as he warned that the war will impact French agriculture, industry, and all sectors of the economy. Rising costs in fuel, petrol, gas, raw materials and more will impact everyday prices of heating and transport. 

In a dire sentence, Macros said that war in Europe no longer belongs in history books, but that it is nowhere “before our eyes.” He said too that democracy is not anymore an “unquestionable system,” for it is being questioned, again, “before our eyes.” 

Last month, Macron shuttled between Moscow and Kyiv in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Russia from invading Ukraine. He placed the blame completely on Putin’s shoulders, saying that NATO and Europe had done everything it could to prevent it.

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