Macron: Europe at a ‘turning point in history’

Europe is at a “turning point in history” due to the growing threat from Russia and uncertainty over U.S. support, French President Emmanuel Macron said in a national address on March 5. 

He urged European leaders to act together and show determination in defending themselves.  

“Europe has the economic strength, power, and talent to rise to this moment and stand as an equal to the United States, let alone Russia,” Macron said. 

The EU-27 combined yearly economic output is around $16 trillion compared to Russia’s, which hovers around $2 trillion. 

The Kremlin has already responded, calling Macron’s remarks “confrontational.”

He also expressed readiness to discuss extending France’s nuclear deterrent to protect the European continent and allies of Paris. 

“In response to the historic call from Germany’s future chancellor [Ed: referring to Friedrich Merz’s proposal to negotiate nuclear protection with the UK and France], I have decided to initiate a strategic discussion on protecting our European allies with our (nuclear) deterrence,” he said.  

Macron said that Russia has become a direct threat to France and all of Europe since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 

“Russia continues to rearm itself, allocating over 40 percent of its budget to military spending. By 2030, it plans to further expand its army with an additional 300,000 soldiers, 3,000 tanks, and 300 fighter jets,” he said, warning that it is difficult to believe Russia will stop at Ukraine. 

“Russia has now become a threat to France and Europe for the years to come.”  

He accused Moscow of turning its war against Ukraine into a global conflict by involving North Korean troops and Iranian weapons. Macron also mentioned the Kremlin’s interference in foreign elections, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns. Russia, he said, is actively testing the limits in air, sea, space, and cyberspace. 

“This aggression appears to know no boundaries,” Macron said.  

The security of Europeans is becoming increasingly fragile, he warned, as Russia’s war against Ukraine enters its fourth year, the U.S. shifts its stance on supporting Ukraine, Washington engages in a trade war with its allies, and terrorist threats persist worldwide. 

“We must say it clearly: we are entering a new era,” he said.  

Macron argued that remaining passive in the face of these threats would be “madness.” 

He said France must make serious decisions regarding support for Ukraine and ensuring the security of its citizens and Europe as a whole. 

“The future of Europe must not be decided in Washington or Moscow. The threat is once again coming from the East, and the innocence of the past 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall [in 1989] is now over,” he said.