In his address to the nation, Macron called on Europe to continue arming Ukraine. He also expressed readiness to use France's nuclear forces to protect the EU. Journalists around the world were surprised by such rhetoric: many considered it an attack against the United States, which would anger both Trump and Vance. The details are in our review.
The French president said that Europe should be ready to defend Ukraine without the United States, the New York Post writes.
Macron stressed the need to arm Ukraine and arm themselves, calling it a reliable means to deter Russia from invading Eastern Europe. Moreover, the French president accused Moscow of planning to further seize the territory.
At the previous EU summit, Macron called on Europe to increase its annual spending on NATO and urged allies to give the alliance up to 3.5% of their gross domestic product.
Macron offered Europe a French nuclear umbrella instead of an American one, The Sun notes.
"Macron made a tough speech, heralding a “new era” amid the ongoing upheavals in world politics.
He boldly stated that France could increase its nuclear deterrent forces in order to open a protective umbrella over the continent against "Russian aggression."
France is the only EU country with a nuclear capability.
At the same time, he made it clear that the decision would remain solely in the hands of the French president — that is, his own."
France is open to discussing expanded nuclear deterrence, writes The New York Times.
Macron is a staunch supporter of the European Union and has for years stressed the need to strengthen his own defense and develop "strategic autonomy“ from the United States.
He had expressed similar ideas before, but then they did not receive much support from France's allies — many of them continued to rely on America's nuclear potential.
France and the United Kingdom are the only ones in Europe with their own nuclear arsenal, but only France is a member of the European Union."
The Telegraph draws attention to the fact that in his address, the French president indirectly criticized the US-Russian negotiations on Ukraine.
"Emmanuel Macron said that the future of Europe and its security cannot be determined in Moscow or Washington, thereby making a thinly veiled remark about the US-Russian negotiations on Ukraine.
In his address to the nation on Wednesday evening, the French president called for “long-term support for Ukraine,” including “sending European troops” to give strength to the “fragile ceasefire.”
According to European diplomats, the speech came at a stage when France and Britain, seeking to act as a bridge between Washington and Kiev, intend to finalize a peace plan with Ukraine's participation “in a matter of days.”
Macron's speech will infuriate Trump and Vance, the author of an article in The Spectator suggests.
"In one of the most significant fragments of his speech, he covertly attacked J. D. Vance, who angered the European elite last month, speaking at the Munich Conference on Defense and Security.
The American vice president suggested that the greatest danger to Europe is not Russia, but a "threat from within": an elite that is afraid of its people and stifles freedom of speech in order to keep it under control.
Europe, Macron said, defends its democracy "by believing in the truth, in freedom of expression, which is not meant to simply open up opportunities for inciting hatred."
It was the battle cry of Progressive Europe against Trump's America."
The French opposition criticized Macron's appeal, saying that the main purpose of the far—fetched "scenario" outlined by him is to knock the ground out from under the feet of political opponents, writes Le Parisien.
The deputy chairman of the National Association, Sebastien Chenu, said that he did not believe in the scenario according to which Vladimir Putin wants to be "at the gates of Paris." He believes that the Russian leader "is not the main threat" to France.
When asked about the risk of a Russian attack on Moldova or Romania, Sebastien Chenu noted that he "does not believe in this scenario at all." "The French are being told, 'Wait, the war against Russia is about to start, be afraid and trust your kind president Macron,'— he said.
