From Nicosia, the French President warned students that the United States would no longer protect Europe “in the long run”, pointing to the Greenland, Iran, and Ukraine issues as warning signs.
President Emmanuel Macron of France said on Thursday that the United States would no longer protect Europe “in the long run” and deplored the “madness” of leaders that could lead to war. “The challenge for our Europe is to be stronger and more independent because we have the United States of America who will no longer protect us in the long run,” he said during an exchange with students at the Franco-Cypriot school in Nicosia.
“We have seen this with the Greenland issue, with what is happening today in Iran, and a bit of what is happening in Ukraine,” he added when a student asked him what “young people can do to promote peace.” “They are still here, it’s great, they are allies, but Europe was built on the belief that for eternity, the United States would protect us. For your generation, I think this will no longer be true,” emphasized the French President.
War arises from misunderstandings, misunderstandings, or madness
“If tomorrow we are no longer able to protect ourselves for our defense, if all our technological solutions are in the hands of others, we can say what we want, we will no longer choose,” he reiterated in advocating for more European sovereignty. Emmanuel Macron also advised the young generation to “always seek to understand others” and to have “a taste for the future,” emphasizing that “peace does not happen one fine morning and also depends on that.”
“War arises from misunderstandings, misunderstandings, or the madness of certain leaders and sometimes of peoples who think that their security will come from the destruction of their neighbor,” he pointed out. “One loves war when one no longer hopes for anything (…) When you love the future, you have no desire to make war,” he added, without mentioning the names of leaders.
[Context: President Macron’s speech in Nicosia emphasizing the need for European self-sufficiency in defense and cautioning against dependence on the US for protection. Fact Check: Macron’s remarks were made in the context of increasing geopolitical tensions and concerns over Europe’s security and diplomatic relations.]
