My Take | Grand illusion of ‘Western unity’ allows Ukraine war to drag on
- Macron’s remarks expose myth that is no more than a useful fig leaf for declining hegemon to reassert control over European continent
It’s unhealthy, even dangerous, when French President Emmanuel Macron’s latest remarks are automatically analysed as to whether they have antagonised Washington or handed a parting gift to Beijing following his state visit.
How about trying to understand what he actually said – it’s not like he hasn’t said the same thing before – before jumping to conclusions?
“The United States is our historic ally and will continue to be,” he said. “It’s the ally with which we take all the risks, with which we carry out the most complicated operations. But being an ally doesn’t mean being a vassal state.”
Not a vassal state, what’s wrong with saying that?
Oh, sorry, my bad! I cut and pasted the wrong quote. That was what Macron said back in November 2018 when Donald Trump was US president. Many apologies!
This is what he actually said last week. You will forgive my carelessness because he was just repeating himself about the danger of being a US vassal, despite the outbreak of war in Ukraine in the intervening time.