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ISTANBUL – France’s president said European countries should be more decisive in the Nato alliance and reduce their “reliance on the United States”, reported Anadolu Agency.
Speaking to reporters aboard the French presidential plane on his return from an international summit in Amman, Jordan, Emmanuel Macron said “he doesn’t see his push to develop European defence as an alternative to Nato,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
The daily quoted Macron saying that a stronger Europe would allow the continent to become more autonomous within the military alliance, acting “inside Nato, with Nato, but also not depending on Nato”.
“An alliance isn’t something I should depend on. It’s something that I should choose, something I work with,” the daily quoted Macron as saying.
“We must rethink our strategic autonomy.”
“Europe needs to gain more autonomy on technology and defence capabilities, including from the US,” he said.
His remarks came in the wake of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s meeting with US President Joe Biden in Washington, addressing the Congress yesterday, thanking it for providing his country with financial aid and calling their money “not charity” but “an investment”.
Earlier, Biden announced a US$1.85 billion (RM8.2 billion) military aid package for Ukraine. – Bernama, December 22, 2022