Fight against terrorism, war in Ukraine, Trump in the White House… What Emmanuel Macron said to the ambassadors

Recap
Emmanuel Macron presented his wishes to the ambassadors during a traditional annual meeting this Monday. The opportunity for the president to list his ambitions on international issues, from the war in Ukraine to the fight against terrorism.

Imminent arrival of Donald Trump at the White House, new political regime in Syria, war in Ukraine… Emmanuel Macron outlined France’s foreign policy for 2025 during the annual meeting of French ambassadors this Monday, January 6 at the Elysée. From the Middle East to North America, here’s what he said.

• Trump, a “strong ally” at the White House on January 20

Donald Trump “knows that he has a solid ally in France, an ally whom he does not despise”, “who believes in Europe” and wears a « ambition lucide » for the transatlantic relationship, declared Emmanuel Macron, two weeks before the arrival at the White House of the new American president.

“From 2016 to 2020, France knew how to work with President Trump”underlined the French head of state before the return of the populist tribune. “If we decide to be weak and defeatist, there is little chance of being respected by the United States of America of President Trump”, “it’s up to us to know how to cooperate with the choice that was made by the American people”he added.

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Emmanuel Macron, however, attacked, without mentioning him by name, the American billionaire Elon Musk, close to Donald Trump and future member of the American administration. The French president accused him of supporting “a new reactionary international” and interference in European elections, particularly in Germany.

“Ten years ago, what if we had been told that the owner of one of the largest social networks in the world would support a new reactionary international movement and intervene directly in elections, including in Germany? Who would have imagined it? »launched Emmanuel Macron in front of the ambassadors.

• There “will be no quick and easy solution in Ukraine”

Emmanuel Macron, however, showed his differences with Donald Trump. The French president warned that there would be no “no quick and easy solution in Ukraine”even though Donald Trump had promised an express settlement.

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“The new American president himself knows that the United States has no chance of winning anything if Ukraine loses”and a “Surrender of Ukraine cannot be good for Europeans and Americans”said the French president. He considered that the “credibility” Westerners would be “battered” if they agree to “transact” due to a « fatigue » of the conflict.

Emmanuel Macron also said that the Ukrainians would have “to lead realistic discussions on territorial issues”car “only they can lead them”to find a settlement to the conflict caused by the Russian invasion in 2022. “The United States of America has to help us change the nature of the situation and convince Russia to come to the negotiating table”while the Europeans will have to “build security guarantees” for Ukraine “who will be their primary responsibility”estimated the French president.

• No “relaxation”, no “respite” in the fight against terrorism

On the eve of the tenth anniversary of the Islamist attack which decimated the editorial staff of the weekly “Charlie Hebdo”, the president also spoke of the fight against terrorism. “We know that terrorism is a risk which remains significant in our societies and which requires no relaxation and collective vigilance”he said in front of the French ambassadors. “There must be no respite in the fight against terrorism”he insisted.

• Macron calls for “looking without naivety at the change of regime in Syria”

The French president called for “look without naivety at the regime change in Syria”and promised not to abandon the Kurdish fighters allied with the West in the fight against terrorism.

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France will accompany “over time” the transition in favor “of a sovereign Syria, free and respectful of its ethnic, political and confessional plurality”he said, pledging to stay ” faithful “ to “freedom fighters, like the Kurds” who fight terrorism and in particular the jihadist organization Islamic State.

• European defense: “We have to go much faster and much stronger”

Europeans must go “much faster and much stronger” to strengthen their defense industry in the face of rising threats, also estimated Emmanuel Macron.

“The question is whether Europeans want, for the next twenty years, to produce what will be necessary for their security or not”car “If we depend on the American defense industrial and technological base, then we will have cruel dilemmas and culpable strategic dependencies”he insisted.