Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Macron says US is increasingly pulling back from its partners


(MENAFN) French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that the United States is increasingly pulling back from its partners and stepping away from international frameworks it once championed. His remarks followed recent US actions, including a military operation in Venezuela and renewed statements from Washington about taking control of Greenland, an autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty.

Earlier this month, US special forces carried out airstrikes on Caracas and other parts of Venezuela, during which President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized. Days later, US President Donald Trump told reporters that military force remained an option in relation to Greenland, arguing that the island could otherwise be taken over by China or Russia.

“We are evolving in a world of great powers, with a real temptation to divide up the world among them,” Macron said during his annual address to French ambassadors, reflecting on recent global developments.

He went on to argue that Washington, while still a dominant power, is shifting its posture. “The US has an established power, but one that is gradually turning away from some of its allies and freeing itself from international rules that it was still promoting not so long ago – whether in the field of trade or certain elements of security,” the French leader highlighted.

Macron also warned that both France and the European Union are now “facing neo-colonial aggression” and at the same time are being “subjected to anti-colonial rhetoric that no longer corresponds to reality.”

Trump has pushed for full US control over Greenland since his first term in office, repeatedly emphasizing the island’s importance to Arctic security. These ambitions have fueled growing friction between the United States and its European NATO partners.

Earlier this week, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that a US annexation of Greenland would effectively mark the collapse of NATO. Soon after, leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement stressing that the island “belongs to its people.”

On Friday, Trump said he preferred to pursue the “easy way” in dealing with Greenland. While he did not dismiss the possibility of compensating Greenland’s population, he reiterated that Washington would “do it the hard way” if required.

MENAFN10012026000045017281ID1110581128



MENAFN

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.