Speaking to students in Seoul, he stressed that Europe, South Korea and Japan should not be Beijing's “vassals” or dependent on Washington's “unpredictability.” “Our goal is not to be vassals of two hegemonic powers,” the politician said.
In particular, Macron proposes creating an alliance of “middle powers”, including Australia, Brazil, Canada and India, to cooperate in the field of artificial intelligence, space, nuclear energy and security, bypassing the dictates of the superpowers.
Commenting on the conflict in Iran, Macron said that military operations and bombings do not solve problems, citing Iraq and Afghanistan as examples. Instead, he proposed creating a de-escalation mechanism and organizing an international mission to escort ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The closure of the strait deals a heavy blow to the economies of Japan and South Korea due to rising energy prices, the French president noted. He insists on a collective solution to this problem without direct participation in the war.
The publication notes that Macron has been calling on Europe to confront the United States and China since at least 2023.
Context
Macron's calls come as US President Donald Trump has also renewed his attacks on NATO and other allies, particularly criticizing France and South Korea for insufficient assistance in Iran, Bloomberg notes.
