Trump, Middle East, Ukraine… What are France’s foreign policy priorities?

During his presentation on the main axes of future foreign policy, this Monday, to ambassadors, President Emmanuel Macron spoke of the new American government to come.

Donald Trump “knows that he has a solid ally in France, an ally whom he does not disesteem”, “who believes in Europe” and has a “lucid ambition” for the transatlantic relationship, Emmanuel Macron declared this Monday , two weeks before his arrival at the White House.

“From 2016 to 2020, France knew how to work with President Trump,” underlined the French head of state before the return of the populist tribune. “If we decide to be weak and defeatist, there is little chance of being respected by President Trump’s United States of America.” “It’s up to us to know how to cooperate with the choice that was made by the American people,” he added during the annual meeting of French ambassadors.

2 The Middle East under close scrutiny

Shaken by strong tensions, the Middle East remains a territory closely scrutinized for Emmanuel Macron. “We must look at the regime change in Syria without naivety,” Macron said.

France will support “over the long term” the transition in favor of “a sovereign Syria, free and respectful of its ethnic, political and confessional plurality”, he affirmed on the occasion of the conference of ambassadors gathered in Paris , pledging to remain “loyal” to “freedom fighters, like the Kurds” who fight terrorism and in particular the jihadist organization Islamic State.

Concerning Iran, it is the “main strategic and security challenge” in the Middle East, believes the French president. “The acceleration of its nuclear program brings us very close to the breaking point,” he added. This will be a priority issue in the dialogue he will initiate with the new American administration of Donald Trump.

3 Concerns about Ukraine

The war in Ukraine was also addressed by the president. For him, the “credibility” of Westerners would be “undermined” if they “compromise” out of “fatigue”. He warns that “there will be no quick and easy solution in Ukraine”, even though United States President-elect Donald Trump had promised an express settlement.

“The new American president himself knows that the United States has no chance of winning anything if Ukraine loses”, and a “capitulation of Ukraine cannot be good for the Europeans and the Americans” , said the French president during a meeting with French ambassadors.

Emmanuel Macron affirmed that the Ukrainians would have to “have realistic discussions on territorial questions”, because “only they can lead them”, to find a settlement to the conflict caused by the Russian invasion in 2022.

“The United States of America will have to help us change the nature of the situation and convince Russia to come to the negotiating table,” while the Europeans will have to “build security guarantees” for Ukraine.” which will be their primary responsibility,” said the French president.

4 No let-up in the fight against terrorism

President Emmanuel Macron called, this Monday, to continue without “relaxation”, without “respite” the fight against terrorism, on the eve of the tenth anniversary of the Islamist attack which decimated the editorial staff of the weekly Charlie Hebdo.

“We know that terrorism is a risk which remains significant in our societies and which requires no relaxation and collective vigilance,” he said in front of the French ambassadors.

France was “right” to intervene militarily in Africa “against terrorism since 2013”, he added, but African leaders “forgot to say thank you”. Macron believes that “none of them would be with a sovereign country today if the French army had not been deployed” “It doesn’t matter, it will come with time,” quipped the French president .

5 An intensification of European defense necessary

Europeans must move “much faster and much stronger” to strengthen their defense industry in the face of rising threats, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.

“The question is whether Europeans want, for the next 20 years, to produce what will be necessary for their security or not”, because “if we depend on the American industrial and technological defense base, then we will have cruel dilemmas and culpable strategic dependencies,” he insisted.

6 Mercosur Agreement: “Mass is not said”

The French president assured that the “mass is not said” regarding the conclusion of the controversial trade agreement between the European Union and the South American countries of Mercosur. “We will continue to forcefully defend the consistency of our commitments,” he insisted.

7 A “very significant risk” of “regression” of the climate agenda

Finally, Emmanuel Macron warned of a “very significant risk” of “regression” in the collective effort to protect the environment and the fight against global warming.

“At the same time, President Trump is threatening to withdraw from these (environmental) agreements and is uninhibitedly resuming massive production of fossil fuels,” he noted in front of the French ambassadors gathered at the Élysée.