EU security shouldn't depend on NATO and US - French Prime Minister
Photo: French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal (Getty Images)
In maintaining its own security, the European Union should rely primarily on its strength, not on the security umbrella of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ), according to French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.
Attal states that he did not want the security of France and the EU to depend on others. He emphasizes the need for self-reliance and suggests that they should primarily rely on themselves. He expresses the necessity for a second "rescuer," acknowledging NATO's presence but also stressing the importance of bolstering the EU's defense policy to fulfill this role.
He also noted that he did not want France's security, its choice, and its ability to support Ukraine to depend on a vote across the Atlantic.
Attal declines to comment on the implications for NATO's collective security of the likely re-election of Donald Trump as US president.
The French Prime Minister expresses that he does not wish to interfere in the election, but he emphasizes the importance of self-management within the EU. He stresses the necessity for European sovereignty, advocating for a European defense budget and a defense policy.
France's assistance to Ukraine
In February, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that without US military assistance, Ukraine would lose many people at the front. The armed forces would not gain new successes on the battlefield and would be forced to retreat.
French President Emmanuel Macron called on Europe to find new financial solutions for Ukraine, as the US is still delaying the promised aid package.
Recently, the UK and France agreed to increase military aid to Ukraine and discussed the priorities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces for the coming months.
Meanwhile, the EU is creating its own rapid response force, but it is not a joint army.
