French President Emmanuel Macron has issued one of his strongest warnings yet about growing security threats in Europe, declaring, “Ukraine has become a global conflict.” In a national speech on Wednesday, he urged France and the European Union to accelerate efforts to strengthen military capabilities, even hinting at extending France’s nuclear deterrent to the rest of the EU.
His address came as EU leaders prepared for an emergency summit on Thursday, where they will discuss how to prepare for a world in which US military support is no longer unconditional. “I want to believe America will stand by our side, but we must prepare for that not to be the case,” he said. He expressed willingness to work with other European countries – Germany, in particular – to strengthen the continent’s collective security, something France has called for since the 1960s.
He instructed his government to boost defense spending from 2.1% of GDP to 3.5% in five years – through reforms and without raising taxes. He also called on France to “reindustrialize” and establish complete military supply chains domestically.
Macron announced that military commanders from countries willing to commit peacekeeping troops in Ukraine will convene next week. “Russia has become a threat to France and Europe,” he stated, making it clear that any path to peace cannot come at Ukraine’s expense. Moscow, for its part, said that Macron was an “out-of-touch storyteller.”
Can Europe mobilize fast enough to save Ukraine? Read Ian Bremmer’s latest analysis here.