Greece is the latest country to which France has given security guarantees during a visit to the country by French President Emmanuel Macron.
President Macron has guaranteed security and defence to many different European countries, including Denmark and Cyprus, and France also provides defence and security cooperation to Malta. These commitments form part of France’s broader push for what President Macron has repeatedly described as “European strategic autonomy”, arguing that Europe must be capable of defending itself in an increasingly unstable world.
In comments he gave during a discussion with the press, President Macron said that “we are living in very challenging times”, warning that the global order is shifting rapidly. He added that the United States, Russia and China are all working to weaken Europe’s position, stressing that Europe must respond with unity and strength.
He was particularly critical of China’s industrial influence which is reducing Europe’s industrial footprint, stating that Europe must ensure it does not lose its industrial base, and warning that “we cannot accept a situation where our industrial capacity is weakened”. He added this trend must be reversed through investment, innovation and stronger internal coordination.
France has signed several agreements with Greece, including on innovation, culture and defence, further strengthening ties between the two countries as part of a broader effort by Paris to build deeper strategic partnerships across Europe.
You can watch the press conference in full here.
Newsroom
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