French President Emmanuel Macron accused Russia of leading Europe to the brink of a new world war. In a social media reaction, Macron said, "The Russians have globalized the war in Ukraine."
The French president said he was "wary of bold words," noted that Russia is using Iranian drones to strike targets in Ukraine and has deployed North Korean troops to the front lines. "Will [the war] be limited to this theater? Let's hope so," he said.
Macron's reaction to the Kremlin's war comes as Western leaders try to react to the prospect of US President Donald Trump abandoning the transatlantic alliance that has underpinned European security since 1945. The French president confirmed his plans to travel to Washington next week, where he will try to convince Trump that refusing Putin's demands would make him look weak in the eyes of China and Iran.
Macron also rejected the US president's description of Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a "dictator", saying the Ukrainian leader was democratically elected and defended Zelenskyy's decision not to hold new elections in 2024 amid a war with millions who have fled the country or on active combat duty.
While he refused to compare Russia to Nazi Germany in the 1930s, Macron said it was important to see the country " for what it is: it is a dangerous military power that has become imperialist."
Macron was also asked about the formation of a common European army, but said that differing views on defense strategy within the bloc make a common force impossible. At the same time, however, he again called for European strategic autonomy and common loans to pay for defense spending. (A2 Televizion)
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