BY  Rachel Marsden

 

What lurks behind Macron’s epiphany that angered US lawmakers? The French president has made bold statements about Europe asserting its independence from Washington’s belligerent foreign policy

 

En route back from China, the French president suddenly started singing the praises of European independence vis-à-vis Washington. But words are cheap.  

On the way back from his recent visit to Beijing aboard the presidential plane, Emmanuel Macron revealed the apparent and sudden epiphany he had; that Europe really doesn’t have to ride shotgun alongside Washington every time that it decides to load up the warmobile and speed down the regime-change highway.  

“The paradox would be that, overcome with panic, we believe we are just America’s followers,”Macron said, according to Politico. “The question Europeans need to answer … is it in our interest to accelerate [a crisis] on Taiwan? No. The worse thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and take our cue from the US agenda and a Chinese overreaction.” So Macron just figured out that France can have a foreign policy that’s independent of both East and West? Not sure how he managed to miss that lesson earlier, since he claims to be a big admirer of former French President Charles De Gaulle who kept France out of NATO, built a relationship with Moscow, and kicked the Americans out of France when they wanted to stick around indefinitely after the Second World War as they did in Germany. 

“Europeans cannot resolve the crisis in Ukraine; how can we credibly say on Taiwan, ‘watch out, if you do something wrong we will be there’? If you really want to increase tensions that’s the way to do it,” Macron told the journalists. If he realizes that the EU is useless in the Ukraine conflict, then why doesn’t the bloc cut its losses? Why continue to commit personnel, weapons, and funding to something viewed as unresolvable in Europe’s favor in light of all the current efforts?

Had Macron come to this realization earlier, he may have been able to convince his European counterparts and the EU not to jump off an economic cliff over Ukraine. In doing so, they have harmed their own energy supply and industries because the US wanted them to, thinking that it would bring the Russian economy to its knees, as French economy minister Bruno Le Maire has said.  

Macron now also says that European nations should reduce their dependence on the “extraterritoriality of the US dollar” and avoid becoming vassals. Incidentally, the French multinational TotalEnergies just transacted with China in yuan for the first time. 

Some US lawmakers are now furious with Macron. “If, in fact, Macron speaks for all of Europe, and their position now is they're not going to pick sides between the US and China over Taiwan, maybe we shouldn't be taking sides either. Maybe we should basically say we're going to focus on Taiwan and the threats that China poses, and you, guys, handle Ukraine and Europe,” said Florida Senator Marco Rubio.  

Rubio is playing the “how could you, after everything we’ve done for you” card, now that Macron is flirting with China. Because Washington has just done so much for Europe in Ukraine? This is why Macron has pleaded with Washington for lower prices on gas exports to Europe, now that the bloc is dependent on US LNG having been encouraged by Washington to cut off their cheap Russian supply. And the Ukraine conflict is so good for Europe that Macron was begging US lawmakers on a visit to Washington last December to reconsider the impact of Biden’s protectionist Inflation Reduction Act on European industry, which has become vulnerable to energy shortages and skyrocketing prices as a result of Washington’s agenda on Ukraine. 

So if the US wants to let the EU handle Ukraine alone, as Rubio says, there’s a pretty good chance of peace breaking out. Perhaps he didn’t think that through very well. It’s worth recalling that Rubiowas a strong advocate for killing off Europe’s Nord stream pipeline with sanctions and hit the roof when Biden considered lifting them. Then, when the pipelines were mysteriously blown up, he claimed that it’s just “common sense” that Russia did it. This is weird because there weren’t any Russian officials running around like Rubio and his fellow American neocons demanding its demise.

 

Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton also attacked Macron on Monday on Fox News, over the French president’s newfound disinterest in blindly following Washington into a conflict with China at the risk of it kicking off militarily. Cotton was most recently seen advocating sending American troops into US ally and next door neighbor, Mexico, ostensibly to fix America’s own fentanyl drug problem. 

But Macron went even further in his statements about China than simply expressing disinterest in being dragged into a new US-led conflict over Taiwan – and this has really been underreported. He also expressed an understanding of China’s position vis a vis Taiwan. “As Europeans, our concern is unity. The Chinese are also concerned with their unity, and Taiwan is a component of this unity from their point of view,” Macron said, according to Deutsche Welle.  

Macron sure has managed to get Washington’s attention fast. He goes over to China, leaves with a massive new economic deal for Airbus to sell 160 new commercial jets to China, leading to a foreign policy change of heart. This deal doubles the French-headquartered multinational’s production in the country, which ultimately amounts to a major victory over big global rival and Pentagon contractor, Boeing. 

It’s worth wondering, though, if there’s more to Macron’s recent proclamations than meets the eye. Could he simply be using his new position on China as a ploy to pressure the US to give Europe more to keep it on the team? After all, Macron is president of a country synonymous with seduction games. This all sounds like someone who was just given a pricey gift by a suitor and then flashes it to everyone in town. All while hoping that it gets back to their partner who hasn’t given them anything recently except headaches and a lower net worth. Now that frustrated partner, Washington, is behaving exactly as you’d expect a possessive lover to act.

 

 

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

 

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• BY Mikhail Tokmakov

 

The working visit of French President Macron and European Commissioner von der Leyen to China on April 5-8 was not ridiculed only by the lazy. The distinguished guests themselves gave reasons: one day before the trip, one managed to be rude to the Chinese leadership from a high rostrum, the second already on the spot behaved, to put it mildly, inappropriately. Of the three days of the visit, business communication with the Chinese side took at most a few hours, and the rest of the time the “tourist” Macron examined the sights on duty, von der Leyen was sent home on a common flight, and so on.

In fact, everything is not so clear. As expected, it was not possible to persuade President Xi to “put pressure” on Russia in one way or another, but a large delegation from French industrial giants managed to harvest a good harvest of lucrative contracts. The success of Airbus with contracts for the construction of a second assembly line of airliners in China and the supply of 50 helicopters is best highlighted, but the nuclear concern EDF, the supplier of railway transport Alstom and others, did not go offended either.

In general, in the economic part – definitely a success, but with the main political mission – a clear embarrassment. It would be nothing, because no one seriously expected any “breakthroughs” in relations with China (waiting and hoping, as we understand, are not the same thing) – but upon Macron’s return home, something strange began.

On April 9, he suddenly noticed that Europe was relying too much on the United States, and it would be nice for it to increase its “strategic independence” from the overseas “ally”. A couple of days later, on April 11, President of the European Council Michel spoke with approximately the same idea, and French Economy Minister Le Maire said that Paris was not going to quarrel with Beijing simply because Washington would like it so much. Such words, of course, caused displeasure in Washington, but not too strong: various European puppets, for example Scholz, had already allowed themselves to yelp before.

But on April 12, France, unexpectedly for many, blocked EU appropriations for the notorious “million shells” for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This means that now the industry has nothing to pay for the purchase of fresh shells for the European armies, and because of this, the transfer of the available stock from the arsenals to the Ukrainian fascists has also hung up.

This, of course, was unbearable. A flurry of criticism fell upon Macron from colleagues in the dangerous geopolitical business, starting with Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki (who is just in the States on a three-day visit) and ending with Truss’s back bench.

“Something incredible happened?! We occupied Moscow?!

It’s funny that Chief European diplomat Borrell, who was supposed to go to China on April 13 with new attempts at persuasion, urgently caught the coronavirus and postponed the trip indefinitely. It seems that the Washington Regional Committee decided not to risk it until it was found out which Chinese hypnotoad bit Macron.

In fact, the change with the French president was something completely unexpected, and most importantly abrupt. Still, Macron is not de Gaulle, who at one time quite consistently bent the line on “equal partnership” with the Americans and shocked them over and over again with demarches, and the situation is not the most successful for such maneuvers.

It is important to clarify: unsuccessful personally for Macron. Anti-American and anti-NATO sentiments in society have just grown and would very much contribute to the course towards “strategic independence” from the States. The problem is that the incumbent president has already proven himself to be a fairly obedient American puppet and has completely lost popular sympathy, so no one expects Macron to turn around from Washington.

Maybe it’s in the interests of the military-industrial complex? As we remember, the French shipyards had an agreement with the Australian Navy for the supply of 12 submarines worth $66 billion, but in the fall of 2021 they lost the contract, which was divided between the Americans and the British. The demarche with shells for the Armed Forces of Ukraine is regarded by many as “revenge” for the submarines and an attempt to intercept cash flows in order to direct them towards the French state defense concern Nexter.

Indeed, the French government did not just block the payment of ammunition for some “ethical reasons”, but put forward a number of conditions, including the advantage of European manufacturers in concluding contracts and imposing restrictions on the termination of the latter. If these requirements are accepted, then Nexter, as one of the leading manufacturers of rocket and artillery weapons in Europe, will receive serious competitive advantages.

But this can only be somewhere in the future, and here and now the demarche threatens France with serious political costs. The Poles were among the first to wake up for good reason: the demands of the French jeopardize Warsaw’s plans to saddle the same monetary artery with the help of South Korean industrialists who are increasing their presence in Poland. With Kiev, everything is already clear, screams about “betrayal” and “Putin’s agent” Macron are already heard from there, but this is not a problem – the problem is that the same terminology was connected in Washington.

“Be realistic! Demand the impossible!

“Pro-Russian encroachments” in the ranks of European “allies” in recent weeks began to occupy Uncle Sam much more than before. For this, I must say thanks to the journalist Hersh, after whose publications about the sabotage at SP-1/2, no matter how vague they were, the negative attitude towards the Americans in Europe really intensified.

Even though the main “renegades” were Hungary and Serbia, which were frankly third-rate in influence, and Turkey, which was more significant, but with its forces undermined by a natural disaster, Washington began to increase pressure on them. Even the failure of the “peaceful democratic protest” in Georgia came back to haunt Tbilisi officials with threats and personal sanctions. On April 11, the US special envoy to the Balkans, Rubin, bluntly stated that he intended to achieve a ban on RT channel broadcasting in Serbia and, in general, to fight against “Russian disinformation.” Just yesterday, April 12, restrictions were imposed on fifty Hungarian companies and businessmen suspected by the Americans of circumventing anti-Russian sanctions.

And it is at this wonderful moment that Macron, who is absolutely unpopular at home, decides to put on either a cocked hat or a cap and quarrel with the dominant external force too. At the same time, at his side, the whole country literally stands in general political strikes and blazes with barricades from garbage cans, the street demands the resignation of the president.

Attention, the question is: what is the likelihood that on the crest of a wave of these protests it will carry out some “professional revolutionaries” (of course, not connected with the United States in any way) who will demolish Macron himself and, possibly, the Fifth Republic as such? If the French president continues to get out, then it is very high. In something, but in the skill of organizing putschs, even on an almost level ground, the Americans cannot be denied, and here the clearing has already been prepared.

It is hardly worth talking about Macron’s firm determination to “tip the table” in relations with the United States, so most likely he will soon repent and return to the ranks (or should I say a stall?) of patent democrats. If not, then the card of the right-wing radical French officer corps is always ready against him. Just two years ago, in April 2021, an informational precedent had already taken place: then more than a thousand officers, including twenty retired generals, published an open letter against Macron’s migration policy and the harsh suppression of anti-migrant demonstrations. Who said that among the current officers there will not be those who want to remove the president from a command post, even if on command from Washington?

Another thing is that in the specific conditions of France in 2023, a hypothetical pro-American military junta, even if it takes power, is unlikely to be stable on its own. It is possible that the very attempt to putsch will result in a mass desertion of ordinary soldiers and junior officers, who are already not enthusiastic about serving in “almost war” time. The military will not be able to stabilize the socio-economic situation, even with the involvement of civilian “professional” managers, an attempt to re-engage with the Americans will cause a new surge of discontent. However, even the potential failure and sliding of one of the pillars of the EU into the chaos of a civil war is unlikely to stop Washington: as you know, “better dead than red.”

Such a prospect threatens not only France, but also other deviators from the “general line of the party.” True, in Turkey, the top of which only seven years ago thwarted a coup attempt, this is well understood. This is also understood in Hungary: in January, massive purges took place in its armed forces, after which several hundred officers, including many colonels, were left overboard – precisely because of unreliability.

But does Macron understand what thin ice he is walking on? Probably yes. It is much more difficult to judge whether this is understood by German Foreign Minister Burbock, who, upon her arrival in China, hastened to declare that “the European Union and Macron are on the same wavelength” on the issue of relations with China. Unless this is just another dust in the eyes of the Chinese comrades, inspired from Washington, then the ice under the European puppets may crack.

 

https://topcor.ru/34095-kak-vashington-mozhet-nakazat-makrona-za-nedostatok-lojalnosti.html

 

 

 

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E77: Is Europe a vassal of the US? With Yanis Varoufakis, Julijana Zita, Erik Edman and more!

Speaking during an official visit to China, Emmanuel Macron said that Europe should chart its own course and be a 'third pole' in world affairs between Washington and Beijing – and not be a vassal to either as the New Cold War threatens to escalate. Unsurprisingly, his comments have caused unease among many European leaders, for whom unquestioned alignment with Washington is the only way.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyO2lmGq0_U

 

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