Macron urges ‘frank’ EU dialogue with Russia, political solution for Ukraine – EURACTIV.com

The European Union must hold a “frank dialogue” with Russia and seek a political solution to the tensions over Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron told the European Parliament on Wednesday (19 January).

The 44-year-old leader, who is set to seek re-election in April, addressed lawmakers at the European Parliament to lay out his priorities for France’s turn holding the six-month rotating presidency of the 27-member bloc.

The agenda intends to “create together a European power of the future… an independent Europe that has given itself the means to decide its own future and not rely on the decisions of other major powers,” he said.

Over his four and a half years in power, Macron has consistently argued for what he calls European “strategic autonomy”, seeking to match the continent’s undisputed economic weight with diplomatic and military strength.

Many experts see the vision as far-fetched because of policy divisions between member states and their unwillingness or inability to pool their defence resources.

Macron argued that Europeans needed to build their own “collective security framework” and re-arm themselves, implying that the continent needed to work outside of the US-led NATO alliance that guarantees security for most EU states.

“Security on our continent requires strategic rearmament,” he added, saying that “frank and demanding” talks with Russia were also needed.

“As Europeans, we need to collectively make our own demands and put ourselves in a position to enforce them,” he said.

The European Union was not involved in direct talks with Moscow during a week of diplomacy last week to try to ease tensions caused by Russia’s decision to mass tens of thousands of troops on its border with Ukraine.

----