European countries must take bold and creative decisions to help Ukraine even if the United States withdraws support for Kiev in the coming months, French President Emmanuel Macron said on January 30, during his official visit to Sweden, an EU member state that is on track to become the newest member of the NATO military alliance.
Speaking at the Karlberg Military Academy in Solna, just north of Stockholm, Mr Macron said: “The price… of a Russian victory is too high for all of us. There is no longer a framework and an architecture of security on our continent if Russia wins.”
In a familiar refrain, the French president added that Europe should take the lead in ensuring its own security. Europe must not entrust its security “to the great powers, even if they are very good allies, because they live on the other side of the ocean,” Mr Macron said.
Macron's comments come as European countries worry that a return to the White House by Donald Trump is increasingly likely, especially as the NATO-skeptical former US president is on track to win the Republican nomination.
On the other side of the Atlantic, further military aid to Ukraine has stalled in the US Congress , as Republican lawmakers are reluctant to continue funding Kiev, which has been at war with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s powerful military for nearly two years.
Swedish soldiers take part in NATO military exercise Baltops 22 in the Stockholm archipelago, June 11, 2022. Photo: Getty Images
“This is a decisive and testing moment for Europe. We must be ready to act to protect and support Ukraine whatever is necessary and whatever the United States decides,” Mr. Macron said.
The French leader also praised Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who earlier in December called on the EU to find new ways to fund European military purchases.
EU leaders will gather in Brussels on February 1 for a European Council meeting, where they will discuss aid to Ukraine. They are also hoping to agree on a 50 billion euro ($54 billion) aid package for Ukraine at the summit. It is unclear whether Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will use his veto again to block the money from going to Kiev.
Mr Macron is currently on a two-day visit to Sweden to discuss partnerships in areas ranging from energy to defence. French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu and his Swedish counterpart Pål Jonson are expected to sign a letter of intent on air defence and aerial surveillance systems.
France and Sweden are among the very few European countries with diversified defence industries capable of producing their own fighter jets – France's Rafale is made by Dassault Aviation and Sweden's JAS 39 Gripen is made by Saab.
In addition, according to Mr. Macron, the cooperation between the French and Belgian armies – known as CaMo – is a model that can be replicated between France and Sweden.
The French president was originally scheduled to visit Sweden at the end of October last year, but the visit was postponed due to the escalating wave of violence between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which began with a Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7 last year.
At home, Mr Macron’s government is facing a wave of angry farmers who are blocking major roads to Paris, demanding higher wages, fewer restrictions and lower costs .
Minh Duc (According to Politico EU, RFI)
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