Macron wants Europe to be independent in defense
French
President Emmanuel Macron said on the sidelines of a session of the Munich
Security Conference that he aims at strengthening the European defense, but not
at the expense of NATO.
He said that France wanted to build up
some common strategic culture, noting that he wanted to see an independent
Europe in terms of defense within 10 years.
However, this is considered to be impossible
by some observers and analysts. The International Institute for Strategic
Studies estimates that European countries should spend around $288 bn-$357 bn
to bridge the gap after abandoning the United States.
The Munich Security Conference will
be attended by 40 heads of state and more than 100 ministers. The participants
include US President Donald Trump and Macron.
