Europe may die: Macron speaks of "great risks" in coming years

During his speech at the Sorbonne, the French president warned of the "great risk" of seeing Europe weakened in the face of global upheavals on the horizon of the next decade.

"The risk of being weakened or even lowered is huge because we are in an unprecedented moment of turmoil in the world, accelerating major transformations," he said.

The leader of France cautioned that Europe "may die" in a world where "the rules of the game have changed."

"We must realize that our Europe of today is mortal; it can die," Macron said.

He noted that choices need to be made now regarding questions of peace and war on the continent, digital transition, artificial intelligence, and even the environment.

Previous statements by Macron

Western media notes that French President Emmanuel Macron has changed his approach to foreign policy. He is trying to become the leading figure in Europe, although not all EU countries perceive him as such.

The media, in particular, write about a conflict between Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, which is refuted in Paris and Berlin.

Earlier, Macron did not rule out that NATO could deploy troops to help Ukraine. This sparked discussions among Ukraine's allies. Most countries did not support Macron's position. Moreover, as Western media report, Macron's unexpected statement caused even greater animosity between him and Scholz.