France President Emmanuel Macron once again stands at the center of global diplomacy, aiming to ease ties with President Donald Trump, advocating a Ukraine peace agenda alongside his UK counterpart, and witnessing his longstanding ambition to increase European defense turning into fact.
A year ago, Macron appeared more fragile than ever after his call for early legislative polls created a hung parliament, flashing an unprecedented situation. Famous for his nonstop political activism, he turned his priority to foreign policy, leaving domestic efforts largely to the prime minister.
Currently, Macron appears as the one state head who talks to Trump many times per week and takes the forefront in European backing for Ukraine, while setting himself as the commander-in-chief of the EU’s only nuclear power. He is one of the few heads of state who understood Trump during his first period in office, holding despite conflicts a cordial connection, which both define as “friendship.”
He was the first European head to meet Trump since his reelection, striving to persuade him not to leave Ukraine in pursuit of a peace agreement with Russia. Macron is also a major player of European politics, and moving U.S. policies gave impetus to his longstanding ideas.
Recently, Macron announced he would examine extending France’s nuclear deterrent to European allies to help safeguard the continent. Poland and the Baltic countries greeted the proposal. France’s Minister for European affairs Benjamin Haddad hailed Macron’s efforts, stating they were sought at ensuring that “in the face of this world upheaval, Europeans are not spectators but players.”
Some other major players seem to support Macron’s policy. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in office for eight months, has sought closer defense partnership with Europe as part of a “reset” with the European Union after years of resentment over Brexit.
Macron and Starmer are now leading a desperate diplomatic campaign to support Ukraine’s defenses, forming a peace plan with Ukraine at its core. That program includes the possibility of sending European soldiers to Ukraine to implement a potential peace deal. Meanwhile, Germany’s conservative election victor Friedrich Merz stated his top focus would be to “strengthen Europe as soon as possible” while gradually moving towards “real independence” from the U.S.
After his success last month, Merz, who has called for a meeting on “nuclear sharing” with Paris, traveled to Paris for a meeting with Macron. No announcement was released after the session, but French officials with an understanding of the matter stated both men’s visions for Europe were similar. Macron’s activism on the international scene drew criticism from opposition parties. Far-right National Rally party vice president Sébastien Chenu characterised Macron’s “moody” nature as “one of the biggest issues” for French diplomacy.
“He offended many people, he often changed his mind,”
Chenu stated.
The leader of the hard-left France Unbowed party at the National Assembly, Mathilde Panot, also expressed worries.
“The situation is too serious and the President of the Republic is too weakened for him to decide on his own,”
she stated.
“We don’t just want to be consulted. … It’s up to the parliament to decide on such serious issues.”
