Macron says Europe should limit security dependence on US

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
22 Dec 2022 14:08
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French President Emmanuel Macron suggests that Europe should gain more autonomy on technology and defense capabilities from the US.

Macron says Europe should limit security dependence on US.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that European countries should be more decisive in the NATO alliance and reduce their “reliance on the US," according to reports.

On his way back from an international summit in Amman, Jordan, Emmanuel Macron told reporters that "he doesn't see his push to develop European defense as an alternative to NATO," according to the Wall Street Journal.

Macron says that a stronger Europe would allow the continent to become more autonomous within the military alliance, acting “inside NATO, with NATO but also not depending on NATO.”

“An alliance isn’t something I should depend on. It’s something that I should choose, something I work with,” the daily quoted Macron as saying. “We must rethink our strategic autonomy.”

He said that Europe needs to gain more autonomy in technology and defense capabilities, including from the US.

The remarks came in the wake of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting with US President Joe Biden in Washington and addressing Congress on Wednesday, and calling their money “not charity” but "an investment.”

Earlier yesterday, the United States announced yesterday that it will provide an additional $1.85 billion in military assistance for Ukraine, with the assistance consisting of Patriot air defense systems, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

"$1.85 Billion in Additional US Military Assistance, including the First Transfer of Patriot Air Defense System," Blinken said in a press release. This decision comes right after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived to the White House to meet US President Joe Biden.

The Pentagon announced on Wednesday that one Patriot air defense system, additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARMs), among other military hardware, are included in the recently announced $1.85 billion US package for Ukraine.