In Tokyo, Emmanuel Macron highlighted the “predictability” of Europe compared to the unpredictability seen in the United States under Donald Trump. Macron criticized, without naming him, for starting a war in the Middle East without “warning” his allies who were impacted economically.
“I know that sometimes Europe can be seen as a continent that is slower than others,” said the French president before a group of Japanese business leaders and investors on the second day of his visit to Japan. “But predictability has value, and we have demonstrated it for the past few years, and dare I say even in the past few weeks: we are where you know we will go,” he added. “It’s not bad, given the times we are in, believe me,” he insisted.
On the contrary, he criticized those who say “we are much faster,” but “you do not know if tomorrow they will still be in that place and if tomorrow they will not make a decision that could harm you without even warning you.” This was a reference to the war launched over a month ago by the American president and Israel against Iran, whose response effectively blocks the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf, a crucial maritime passage for oil exports from the Middle East.
