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France reacted sharply to yesterday's statement by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who argued that Europe cannot defend itself without the support of the United States.
Rutte made these statements during a session of the European Parliament, responding to a question from French far-right MEP Pierre-Romain Thionet, who underlined that the idea of a European army is anachronistic and cannot face modern challenges.
The response of French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot was immediate and categorical.
"No, dear Mark Rutte. Europeans can and must take charge of their own security. Even the US agrees. This is the European pillar of NATO ," he said.
France's opposition to Rutte's statements was reinforced by other officials, such as Muriel Domenac, a former French ambassador to NATO, who told X that the strategy of strengthening European security through American guarantees is outdated and sends the wrong message to Russia.
France is not the only country supporting the strengthening of NATO's European pillar. French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin told French radio that today's reality requires the strengthening of Europe's military presence within NATO and that this idea, proposed by France several years ago, is now supported by other countries, such as Germany.
The debate comes at a time when Washington, under Trump, has said America will reduce its involvement in European security. The new US national defense strategy, released on Friday, says Europeans must take the lead in responding to threats and emphasizes that Europe is economically and militarily capable of defending itself, especially against Russia.
In addition, the US decision to boost military spending in Europe has had an impact, as last year it managed to convince European countries to increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP.
The French Foreign Minister said that the EU must take responsibility for the continent's security, without depending on America, emphasizing the need for a strong European pillar within NATO.
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