French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the need for “re-engagement” from the United States as he prepared to join his European counterparts for an informal dinner in Brdo on Tuesday 5 October. He met the same day in Paris with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to try to renew ties that have been damaged since the conclusion of the AUKUS alliance.
“We must look at the decisions taken by our allies with lucidity, for what they are. Choices were made, and I cannot say that they were signals of consideration for France and Europe. In either Afghanistan or the Indo-Pacific”, the French president told journalists, including EUROPE.
On the other hand, he felt that the EU should also be clear about its objectives ‘and then ask our partners what we need them for, what we want to ally ourselves with”.
China
There are convergences with the transatlantic partner on the strategy to adopt towards China, according to him. “There may also be differences”, he said.
In his view, the EU must in any case “speak with one voice, which is its own”.
At their informal dinner, EU leaders were to discuss China and the direction of future relations (see EUROPE 12804/5).
Collective intelligence
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, spoke in similar terms on his arrival at the dinner. “We have to be able to act a little more autonomously in order to make our alliances stronger, because strong allies make strong alliances”, he explained. For Mr Michel, it is “very important” that EU leaders have the opportunity to exchange views and opinions, what he calls “collective intelligence”. “This is the step we need, to listen to each other, before we can strengthen our unity”, he pleaded.
Earlier in the day, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis supported the need for a reaffirmation of the EU in the world. “Europe must finally be able to begin the process of aligning its economic power with its geopolitical power. I hope that today we will have the opportunity to have this debate in detail”, he said at a meeting of the EPP group ahead of the summit.
The strategic discussion between the leaders at the dinner will be held away from electronic devices, to “ensure the confidentiality of the discussion”. At the time of writing, the dinner was still in progress. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant and Léa Marchal)