Europe needs a new collective security pact to deal with NATO and Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday.
“Europe today is confronted with escalating tension on our borders,” Macron said in a speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
“As Europeans, we need to collectively make our own demands and put ourselves in a position to enforce them,” he added.
France took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union at the start of the year.
The French proposal intends to “create together a European power of the future… an independent Europe that has given itself the means to decide its own future and not rely on the decisions of other major powers,” he said.
The French want to create a new “security framework” during their presidency. “We need to build it between us, Europeans, share it with our allies in NATO, and propose it for negotiation to Russia,” Macron said.
The EU was not directly involved in talks with Moscow over any possible Russian invasion of Ukraine as tens of thousands of Russian troops amass on the country’s border.
France to add abortion, climate protection to EU Charter
Looking inwards, Macron told lawmakers France would push to include the right to abortion and defense of the environment in the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights.
“Let us open up this debate freely with our fellow citizens… to breathe new life into the pillar of law that forges this Europe of strong values,” he said.
It comes just a day after the parliament elected Malta’s Roberta Metsola, a staunch abortion opponent, as its president.
Macron said Europe needed to “move from words to deeds, transforming our industries in investing in new technologies” to prevent climate change.
Macron’s approach to fighting climate change, however, was criticized by some as being not ambitious enough, reported DW’s Brussels bureau chief Alexandra von Nahmen.
A new deal with Africa
France plans to forge a new European alliance with African countries. Macron said he would host an EU-African Union summit for that purpose next month.
“We can’t just look at the subject of migration without looking at the deep-rooted causes and see that we have a common destiny with the African continent. We want our African friends to allow us to help them,” Macron said.
He also touched on the block’s relationship with the UK in the post-Brexit era.
“Nothing will call into question the bond of friendship which connects us to our British friends,” he said.
He, however, insisted the UK stick to the Brexit agreement, especially regarding fishing and the Northern Ireland protocol.
French elections just down the road
Macron faces an election challenge in April, with polls scheduled for April 10 and 24.
France’s EU presidency comes at a beneficial time for Macron politically, as it is a chance for him to showcase France as a European power.
Macron was expected to formally announce his reelection bid in February.
lo/rc (AFP, Reuters)
Macron proposes security pact to make Europe a ‘power of the future’
Source: Pinoy Pop News
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