Europe must sharpen its teeth or risk being eaten by the „carnivores” of the world, says French President Emmanuel Macron.
Europe can no longer be the „herbivore” of the world following Donald Trump’s reelection as President of the United States, according to Macron. Instead, it must become „omnivorous.”
The comments from the French president come a day after Trump scored a resounding victory in the US presidential elections, raising concerns that the US President-elect could limit Washington's participation in NATO, forcing European countries to increase defense spending.
Macron is known as the strongest advocate for the idea that Europe should become more independent from trade rivals such as China and the United States in everything from defense and security to cutting-edge technologies.
"For me, it's simple. The world is made up of herbivores and carnivores. If we decide to remain herbivores, then the carnivores will win, and we will be a market for them," Macron told European leaders on Thursday during a meeting in Budapest.
Macron's leadership on the European stage has been affected following the early elections he called for earlier this year, and in recent days, he has tried to reposition himself as a bridge between the EU and the US. He was one of the first leaders to congratulate Trump on his victory.
"I believe that at the very least, we should choose to become omnivorous. I don't want to be aggressive, but we know how to defend ourselves on all these issues," Macron stated.
A EU diplomat in Budapest, speaking anonymously to Politico, said that Trump's election could give the French leader a new boost as the main supporter of a bolder and more independent European Union when it comes to trade and security.
Although the French leader did not explicitly name any country, Europe faces potential trade wars on two fronts, with the US and China.
Emmanuel Macron stated that Europeans should not entrust their security to Americans for eternity but should defend their interests against the US and China.
"This is a decisive moment in history for us, Europeans. Ultimately, the question we face is: do we want to read history written by others, (about) the wars launched by Vladimir Putin, American elections, decisions made in technological or commercial terms? Or do we want to write history? I personally believe we have the strength to write it," said the French president at the opening of the European Political Community summit in Budapest.
Emmanuel Macron reiterated that Europe must do more to stimulate economic growth and innovation and also reduce bureaucracy.
"We [in Europe] believe that we should not delegate our geopolitics to the United States of America, that we should not delegate our debts to our growing Chinese customers, that we should not delegate our technological innovation to American hyperscalers. It's not the best idea," Macron added.
Furthermore, a victory for Ukraine in the war against Russia is in Europe's interest. "Our interest is for Russia not to win," he added.
At Thursday's meeting, EU leaders and senior officials, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, emphasized the need for Europe to take the lead in security and defense, as well as to support Ukraine against Russian aggression.
However, not everyone was receptive to Macron's calls for unity. "He says unity, but he means French unity," said one of the two diplomats questioned by Politico, who was not impressed by the president's speech. "If it means drawing up the drawbridges and taking out the axes, no, thank you. We want to remain open to the transatlantic relationship," he added.