French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to Politico on Sunday and reiterated his previous stance that Europe should not get caught up in crises that do not concern them. Macron warned that Europe faces a significant risk if they panic and blindly follow the US agenda on issues like Taiwan, which could provoke a Chinese overreaction. Macron, who had just met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, emphasized the importance of Europe resolving the crisis in Ukraine before getting involved in other global issues. Hours after Macron left China, Beijing launched military exercises around Taiwan, which many saw as a response to the island’s pro-independence leader Tsai Ing-Wen’s meeting with US lawmakers. While leaders like Macron are hesitant to intervene in the Taiwan standoff, they continue to push China to denounce Russia over its military operation in Ukraine. Despite Macron’s efforts to promote the EU’s strategic independence, his support for anti-Russian sanctions has not stopped the conflict in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed doubt that the EU will achieve strategic independence, as France and Germany continue to supply weapons to Kiev’s forces.
Macron refuses to back US line on China
