Emmanuel Macron has seemingly taken a veiled swipe at Donald Trump after hauling French army chiefs to Paris for a crisis meeting.
The French President confirmed the top brass of France’s military will meet in the capital next week amid calls for an Franco-British peacekeeping force to head to Ukraine.
In an address to the nation tonight, Macron said: “I want to believe that the US will stand by our side, but we have to be ready for that not to be the case.”
He added: “France has to recognise its special status – we have the most efficient, effective army in Europe.”
French President Emmanuel Macron addresses the nation
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The French President did not mince his words during his address, declaring: “We are entering a new era.”
He continued: “If a country can invade its neighbour in Europe and go unpunished, nobody can be sure of anything.
“Beyond Ukraine, the Russian threat is real – it affects the European countries.”
Turning his attention to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, Macron concluded: “President Putin is violating our borders to assassinate opponents, manipulate elections.”
Speaking from the White House following a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump said the historic meeting could come ‘this week or next’REUTERSMacron’s comments come after a row erupted with Trump’s White House administration over Anglo-French troops spearheading a peacekeeping force in the ex-Soviet state.
Australia also suggested it could join the peacekeeping force, with Poland and Spain being among the European countries expected to swerve the move.
Despite France holding the status of being America’s oldest ally, Vice President JD Vance appeared to dismiss the power of France’s military.
In an attack that also appeared to denigrate Britain’s Armed Forces, the Vice President said: “The President knows that if you want real US security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine.
“That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years.”
JD Vance sparked fury on this side of the pondREUTERSDespite later distancing himself from the remarks, Vance was lambasted by a number of high profile British politicians.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “JD Vance is wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. For 20 years in Afghanistan, pro-rata, our size against America’s, we spent the same amount of money, we put the same number of men and women in, and we suffered the same losses.
“We stood by America all through those 20 years, putting in exactly the same contribution. And alright, they may be six times bigger, but we did our bit. On this one, JD is wrong.”
Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge labelled the remarks “deeply disrespectful”, with ex-Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer also describing Vance as a “clown” who needs to “check his privilege”.
Keir Starmer is also supporting an Anglo-French peacekeeping force
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Liberal Democrat defence spokeswoman Helen Maguire, who served in the army before entering politics, added: “Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didn’t return home from Iraq.
“This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality. Vance has demeaned his office.”
However, a Downing Street spokesman appeared to let the Vice President off the hook, instead suggesting Vance was “talking about other countries”.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch also failed to condemn Vance, instead telling GB News: I’ve looked at the comments; I don’t think he actually said that. A lot of people are getting carried away.”