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.
Russia has called for clarification on whether U.S. President Donald Trump has changed his position on the war in Ukraine following remarks made at th...
The European Union and Taliban officials held talks in Brussels on Tuesday on consular services and the situation of Afghans whose asylum applications...
Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as...
Iran is preparing for a week-long farewell to former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, who was killed in February during Israeli-U.S. air r...
China’s anti-corruption authorities have launched an investigation into Bian Zhigang, a senior defence and space official, over suspected serious vi...
An unusual weather pattern known as an omega block is at the heart of the extreme heat sweeping across Europe. The phenomenon can trap hot air over the same region for days or even weeks, allowing temperatures to climb to dangerous levels.
As France endures a record-breaking heatwave that has been linked to at least 40 drowning deaths, forecasters are using three key terms - pic de chaleur, vague de chaleur and canicule. Here's what they mean.
Authorities in France are reporting that about 20 people have died over the weekend while swimming in unsupervised areas of rivers, lakes and coastal waters as they tried to escape the heatwave.
Attendees at undeclared free parties in France could face on-the-spot fines of €1,500 ($1,713) or up to six months in prison under proposed new legislation currently being reviewed by the French National Assembly.
Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as the top U.S. diplomat tours the Middle East to win over allies sceptical about a proposed deal.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity, despite Tehran's denials, and that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy humanitarian supplies from the United States.
Authorities in France are reporting that about 20 people have died over the weekend while swimming in unsupervised areas of rivers, lakes and coastal waters as they tried to escape the heatwave.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said he will “most likely” hold bilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump during next month’s NATO summit in Ankara, where the American leader is expected to attend.
Russia has called for clarification on whether U.S. President Donald Trump has changed his position on the war in Ukraine following remarks made at the recent G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains.
The European Union and Taliban officials held talks in Brussels on Tuesday on consular services and the situation of Afghans whose asylum applications have been rejected in Europe.
China’s anti-corruption authorities have launched an investigation into Bian Zhigang, a senior defence and space official, over suspected serious violations of discipline and law, officials said on Wednesday.
Alibaba, one of the world's largest technology and e-commerce companies, has sued the U.S. Pentagon after being added to a blacklist of firms it claims support China's military, escalating a dispute with potentially significant consequences for the company.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment