Emmanuel Macron called on Friday in Munich for Europe to be taken as an “example” rather than “criticized” or “caricatured” by US Vice President JD Vance, in a response to the shocking speech delivered a year ago at the same podium. One year after JD Vance’s attack, Macron calls for Europe to be taken as an “example.”

In his speech at the annual security conference in the German city, the French president also called for further “strengthening” Europe, and urged his partners to prepare now for the post-war period in Ukraine, when it will be necessary to “define its rules of coexistence” with Russia.

“I think Europe is inherently strong, and it can be further strengthened,” to be “a better friend to our allies, especially the United States,” he stated during his fourth appearance at the event. “Europe must learn to become a geopolitical power,” even though it is “not in its DNA,” he added.

He added that he wanted to make “a brief clarification”.

“Neglecting Europe”

“There has been a tendency lately, here and elsewhere, to neglect Europe and, at times, to criticize it openly. It has been caricatured,” he said, in a clear reference to the all-out attack launched last year at this same conference by JD Vance.

“Europe has been vilified as an aging, slow and fragmented construct, relegated by history. As an over-regulated and apathetic economy that turns away from innovation. As a society plagued by barbaric migrations that corrupt its precious traditions. And even more curiously, in some circles, as a repressive continent where speech is not free and where alternative facts cannot claim the same right of citizenship as truth itself – that outdated and cumbersome concept,” he quipped.

“Everyone should take our example, instead of criticizing us, or trying to divide us,” he said.

“Limit the risk of escalation”

Emmanuel Macron therefore defended the role of Europe, which “will be part of the solution” to end the war waged by Russia in Ukraine, and which should therefore, according to him, “be part of the discussion”, which for the moment only directly brings together the Russians, the Ukrainians and the Americans.

Above all, Europeans must prepare for the day after: “if we reach a settlement on Ukraine, we will still be dealing with an aggressive Russia, with a supercharged defense industry, and a hypertrophied army”.

Europe will therefore have to “define its rules of coexistence” with Russia once a peace agreement is reached, in order to “limit the risk of escalation,” he warned, calling on his partners to “begin this work, with their own reflection and their own interests.” He proposed that Europeans “launch a series of consultations on this important subject.”

And if they want to be in a “position of strength” to discuss with Russia in the future, the countries of the Old Continent must “actively develop” their “toolbox” in defense matters, particularly in terms of “precision deep strike” systems, he said.