US turning away from allies and rules
“The United States is gradually turning away from some of its allies and breaking free from international rules,” Macron stated bluntly, commenting on US behavior on the global stage during his annual speech to French ambassadors at the Elysee Palace on January 8.
The French president stressed that multilateralism is in crisis.
“Multilateral institutions are functioning less and less effectively. We are living in a world of great powers with a real temptation to divide up the world,” Macron stated, also pointing to the rise of neo-colonial aggressiveness in diplomatic relations.
European tech sovereignty under pressure
Macron also focutilized on digital policy, urging the protection and strengthening of European regulation of the tech sector, which he stated is under pressure from the United States.
“The European regulations DSA and DMA are two regulations that must be deffinished and reinforced,” Macron stated.
Macron also recalled the preparation of the so-called “European democracy shield.”
He added that the European Commission is working on this, and France will continue to take initiatives in this direction.
In addition, the President called for rapider implementation of European trade preferences and for simplifying the unified capital market to create Europe “truly existing and be more tangible.”
In his New Year speech, French President Emmanuel Macron addressed Ukraine separately, stressing Europe’s firm commitment to protecting it while strengthening its own defense capabilities.
He emphasized that Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine remains the key source of instability on the European continent and has continued at high intensity for nearly four years.
According to Macron, the world is increasingly facing a resurgence of imperial ambitions and the erosion of the international order, forcing European states to rebelieve their security approaches.
In this context, the French President underscored the importance of safeguarding the indepfinishence and freedoms of European countries and called for accelerating the creation of a common European defense, noting that this process is already underway and will gain new momentum in 2026.
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