Macron Says France To Remain 'Exemplary' NATO Ally

Macron Says France to Remain 'Exemplary' NATO Ally

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that France will continue to be an "exemplary" NATO ally and expressed readiness to help strengthen Europe's eastern flank if necessary

PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2022) French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that France will continue to be an "exemplary" NATO ally and expressed readiness to help strengthen Europe's eastern flank if necessary.

"In the alliance, we will continue to play the role of an exemplary ally that is able to guarantee the role of a 'framework nation' and contribute, if necessary, to the defense of Europe's eastern flank," Macron said, speaking at the naval base in the French city of Toulon.

Macron noted that this policy was necessary for the future of the European project. France should remain an "independent and respected power" with "Atlantic roots," representing a "reliable partner" in preserving multilateralism and international law, he said.

Macron also said that Europe was strengthening NATO, and would continue to be the alliance's key player.

"I think we have shown that European defense strengthens NATO, and does not weaken it, as they wanted to make us think. Europe is strengthening it and will remain its key player," the president added.

Macron called for further expanding France's cooperation with other European partners.

"We need to enter into new partnerships with Italy, Greece and Croatia and move forward with the Baltic states to new forms of cooperation," he said.

The French leader recalled that France was a nuclear power that guaranteed the security of the EU by possessing nuclear weapons.

In October, Macron said that France would not use nuclear weapons in the Ukrainian conflict, even in response to a hypothetical Russian attack. The president's statement was widely criticized as it allegedly weakened the role of France as a nuclear power.

Moscow has repeatedly noted that it never planned to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine and would stick to its nuclear doctrine.