Emmanuel Macron calls on Europeans “to believe” in themselves, from Munich, a 12 months after the assaults by JD Vance | EUROtoday

A 12 months after the very important speech by the American Vice-President, JD Vance, which surprised the Europeans in the identical place, the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, defended his imaginative and prescient of Europe, in his speech given in the course of the Munich Security Conference, Friday February 13. “We are too shy. (…) It’s terrible for us not to believe in ourselves. Everyone should take inspiration from us instead of constantly criticizing us and trying to divide us,” he referred to as.

“Europe has been vilified as an aging, slow and fragmented construction, relegated by history. Like an overregulated and apathetic economy that turns away from innovation. Like a society prey to barbaric migrations that would corrupt its precious traditions. And, even more curiously, in certain circles, as a repressive continent where speech would not be free and where alternative facts could not claim the same rights as the truth itself – this outdated and cumbersome concept.castigated Mr. Macron.

Last year, in Bavaria, the conference was marked by JD Vance’s speech. The latter had provoked the Europeans by giving them a lesson on democracy and freedom of expression, believing that the threat hovering over Europe is not “neither Russia nor China”however “the renunciation of some of its most fundamental values”. “We must not be afraid of our own people, even when they express an opinion that is not that of their leaders”he stated, in a speech which had profoundly broken the transatlantic relationship.

Friday, Emmanuel Macron deplored the « stylish, right here and elsewhere, to neglect Europe and, typically, to overtly criticize it. We made caricatures of it.” “I believe that Europe is intrinsically strong, and that it can be further strengthened”to be “a best friend to our allies, especially the United States”he continued throughout his fourth participation on this assembly. “Europe must learn to become a geopolitical power”though it’s not “not in his DNA”he added.

On his arrival in Munich, Emmanuel Macron acknowledged that the connection between the United States and Europe “is in the middle of many of uncertainty »more than a year after Donald Trump’s return to the White House. “We must clarify what we want and what we are prepared to do, and the same for the Americans”he added.

During his speech, the French head of state additionally returned to the continued negotiations to finish the battle in Ukraine. For Mr. Macron, Europeans should “be included in the discussion”evoking his need to “reestablish a transparent channel of communication with Russia”. And in the event that they need to be “position of strength” to debate with Russia sooner or later, the nations of the Old Continent should “actively develop” their “toolbox” protection, notably when it comes to protection techniques “precision strikes” in depth, he estimated.

“Our freedom is no longer acquired,” warns FriedrichMerz

Before Emmanuel Macron, the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, famous on Friday that “the era of great powers [la] freedom is no longer acquired, it is threatened”calling for “sacrifices, not one day, but now”.

Concerning the United States, the chancellor acknowledged the existence of a rising hole between the 2 shores of the Atlantic, whereas calling for rebuilding the transatlantic partnership on a extra balanced foundation. “Vice President JD Vance said it a year ago here in Munich. He was right in his description.” American-European disputes. But “In the era of great power rivalry, even the United States will not be powerful enough to go it alone”he judged.

At the center of the Munich debates this year, the organizers included “the international order ravaged by blows”. But the subjects are innumerable: the crumbling of the international order and the fragmentation of the world, nuclear deterrence after the expiry of the New Start treaty, the war in Ukraine, hybrid war operations, without forgetting Greenland, coveted by President Donald Trump. The Danish government will also meet the American Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, in Munich, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced to the Danish media on Friday.