French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that the U.S. is “gradually turning away” from some of its allies and “breaking free from international rules”.
Speaking during his annual address to French ambassadors at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris on Thursday (8 January), Macron said the international order was becoming increasingly fragile. His remarks came amid growing unease in Europe over a series of recent U.S. actions, including the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and renewed statements from Washington regarding Greenland.
“The U.S. is an established power,” Macron said, “but one that is gradually turning away from some of its allies and breaking free from international rules that it was still promoting recently.
“We are living in a world of great powers, with a real temptation to divide up the world,” he told France’s diplomatic corps at the Élysée Palace.
The speech was delivered as European governments have been left trying to develop a coordinated response to developments in Venezuela, where the U.S. operation to detain Maduro has drawn criticism from several countries.
Some European leaders have questioned the legality of the move and warned it could further undermine the principle of national sovereignty.
Macron also referred indirectly to President Donald Trump’s renewed interest in Greenland, a strategically important Arctic territory that is part of Denmark. Trump’s comments have been firmly rejected by Danish officials, who insist that Greenland’s future can only be decided by its own population.
Although Macron did not mention President Trump by name, the speech reflected broader European concern about what many see as a shift in U.S. foreign policy away from cooperation and towards unilateral action.
He said France “rejects the new colonialism and new imperialism – but also vassalage and defeatism.”
Macron has repeatedly called for greater “strategic autonomy” for Europe, particularly in defence and foreign policy, arguing that the continent should not be overly dependent on Washington.
While stressing the importance of continued cooperation with the U.S., Macron made clear that alliances could no longer be taken for granted.
“We are entering a new era,” he said, one in which Europe must be prepared to act to defend both its values and the international rules that have underpinned global stability for decades.
Armenia is set to receive a support package worth more than €50 million ($58.2 million) from the European Union (EU) after Russia, its largest tradi...
As Armenia heads toward parliamentary elections on 7 June, the country's relationship with Azerbaijan is emerging as one of the defining issues of the...
Twelve people have died following a fire at a care home for elderly residents in Anguruwatota, Sri Lanka, on Thursday. Authorities are investigating t...
Israel's Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, announced plans on Wednesday (4 June) to expand three Jewish settlements in the West Bank by more than 2,...
Kazakhstan has invited Cyprus to take an active role in the Trans-Caspian transport route, with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev saying closer cooperat...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 30 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Soaring temperatures across Europe have broken records in Portugal and sparked heat alerts in Italy and France, affecting events including the French Open tennis tournament.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 29 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
France will become the first country in the European Union to reimburse anti-obesity drugs through its public healthcare system, Health Minister Stéphanie Rist announced on Thursday (28 May).
Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought heavy rain, power cuts and transport disruption across Japan on Wednesday (3 June) as it tracked towards the greater Tokyo region.
Police officers were pelted with missiles during violent clashes at a protest near the Southampton, UK, home of convicted murderer Vickrum Digwa, as anger continued to grow over the handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Albania in recent days to protest against a luxury tourism project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, and his wife Ivanka Trump.
An Iranian drone and missile attack struck Kuwait International Airport early Wednesday, injuring several people, damaging Terminal 1 and forcing flight diversions, Kuwaiti authorities said.
Armenia’s parliamentary election comes at a defining moment for the South Caucasus, a region reshaped by the Garabagh conflict and broader shifts in Russia-West relations. The outcome is increasingly seen as a signal of Armenia’s future foreign policy direction and the regional balance of power.
China has criticised planned maritime boundary discussions between Japan and the Philippines, arguing that the waters involved fall within an area where Beijing claims maritime rights and jurisdiction.
U.S. President Donald Trump will attend next month's NATO leaders' summit in Türkiye, ending weeks of uncertainty over whether he would take part in a gathering expected to focus on the future of the alliance.
All 27 European Union (EU) member countries have agreed to begin the first set of talks with Ukraine and Moldova about joining the political and economic bloc.
Germany's foreign minister Johann Wadephul has suggested that Berlin's strong backing of Ukraine and its close ties with Israel may have contributed to its failure to secure a seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 4 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment