Staff Reports
French President Emmanuel Macron has decided it’s time for Europe to step up and shoulder its own defense responsibilities, all while giving a nod to what President Trump has been saying for years. Who would have thought that the man often portrayed as the quintessential liberal leader would echo the sentiments of a self-proclaimed dealmaker from across the pond?
In a bold address to the nation, Macron declared that Europe must no longer be mere “spectators” in the Ukraine conflict. He emphasized the pressing need for a serious rearmament initiative that would allow the continent to function independently of American military support. Despite expressing hope that the U.S. would continue to stand with Europe, he prepared for the inevitable reality where they might not. It seems that Macron has finally grasped the concept that relying on Uncle Sam might not be the best strategy.
With the shadow of Russia looming, Macron made it clear that the days of taking safety for granted are over. He pointed out that the stability Europe enjoyed since the fall of the Berlin Wall may have been just a long, sweet dream, and that dream is now morphing into a nightmare. In a rather cheeky twist, Macron and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer are calling for a “coalition of the willing” to send a peacekeeping force into Ukraine. However, many European leaders are still wrestling with the idea of doing so without a solid backing from the U.S., which hints at a dependence that Macron is trying to shake off.
It is amusing to see Macron welcoming efforts towards peace that have come about thanks to Trump’s policies, while simultaneously pushing back against the notion that Ukraine should be sacrificed for a false peace. There is a distinct flavor of irony here; a leader of a country that once critiqued Trump so vigorously is now, in a convoluted way, stepping into similar shoes. Macron’s warning against fragile ceasefires is something you might expect from a president who understands that hollow agreements with aggressive parties often lead to trouble down the line.
When discussing Russia’s military expansion, Macron pulled no punches. The French president argued that it’s naive to believe Russia will halt its ambitions at Ukraine, hinting that France’s own future security is at stake. He plans to discuss strengthening France’s nuclear arsenal as a deterrent—a move that sounds alarming to many but also serves as a wake-up call. The reality that Europe might need to take drastic measures should not come as a surprise, particularly to those familiar with Macron’s increasingly hawkish rhetoric.
This arrogant, petulant man wants to lead a war at the cost of putting his allies – that is, Germany – into debt and leaving them in ruins.
Macron: Europe Must Be Ready to Defend Ukraine Without U.S. Help https://t.co/pYJ6OJzGiu— Edith F. de Weyand (@Ediwey) March 6, 2025
Another aspect of Macron’s grand plan is reviving France’s industrial capabilities to support this newfound military ambition, all without raising taxes. Instead, he talks about private investments and “reforms,” whatever that may mean. Yet with the political landscape in France looking more fractured than ever—three governments collapsed last year, and the National Assembly is in shambles—it remains dubious whether Macron can follow through on these lofty goals. After all, grand speeches don’t build weapons.
In the backdrop of this speech, it’s worth noting that while Macron took shots at Trump’s plans to impose tariffs on the EU, he simultaneously endorsed a key element of Trump’s agenda: Europe funding its own defense. This is not just a random twist of fate, but rather a sign that European leaders are feeling the heat and taking Trump’s critiques seriously. As EU nations scramble to bolster their military budgets amid rising tensions with Russia, it appears that the old guard is finally waking up to a reality that the rest of the world, particularly America, has known for quite some time.
