Emmanuel Macron

September 8, 2025 3:58 PM

France faces more turmoil with government on brink of collapse ahead of confidence vote

France's fourth prime minister in less than two years, François Bayrou, faces defeat in a confidence vote on Monday, tipping the euro zone's second-biggest economy further into political and economic paralysis. The minority government's expected collapse looks set to deepen France's problems at a critical time for Europe, which is seeking unity in the face of Russia's war against Ukraine, an increasingly dominant China and trade tensions with the United States. The turmoil also threatens Fran...

September 5, 2025 12:41 PM

Putin says any Western troops in Ukraine would be legitimate targets

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that any Western troops deployed to Ukraine would be legitimate targets for Moscow to attack. Putin was speaking a day after French President Emmanuel Macron said 26 countries had pledged to provide postwar security guarantees to Ukraine, including an international force on land, sea and in the air. Russia has long argued that one of its reasons for going to war in Ukraine was to prevent NATO from admitting Kyiv as a member and placing its forces...

September 5, 2025 10:59 AM

26 nations vow to give Ukraine postwar security guarantees, Macron says

Twenty-six nations have pledged to provide postwar security guarantees to Ukraine, which will include an international force on land, sea and in the air, French President Emmanuel Macron said after a summit meeting of Kyiv's allies on Thursday. Macron said he, fellow European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy held a call with U.S. President Donald Trump after their summit and U.S. contributions to the guarantees would be finalised in the coming days. Later, asked if he planne...

July 14, 2025 10:46 AM

France’s Macron announces plan to accelerate military spending

President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday announced a plan to push forward France's defence spending, pledging to double the military budget by 2027 - three years earlier than originally planned - in response to a complex geopolitical moment. France had aimed to double its defence budget from 2017 levels by 2030. However, Macron pledged to reach the target by 2027. A military budget that stood at 32 billion euros ($37.40 billion) in 2017 will rise to 64 billion euros by 2027, with an additional 3.5 b...

July 9, 2025 9:31 AM

UK and France must end dependency on US and China, Macron warns

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday Britain and France must work together to counter the world's many destabilising threats and protect Europe from "excessive dependencies" on the United States and China. Macron, in a rare address to both houses of the British parliament, celebrated the return of closer ties between the two countries as he became the first European leader to be invited for a British state visit since Brexit. Having been greeted earlier by the British royal family,...

July 8, 2025 9:38 AM

King Charles hosts Macron in first European state visit since Brexit

Britain's King Charles will welcome French President Emmanuel Macron to Windsor Castle on Tuesday for the first state visit by a European leader since Brexit in a trip aimed at celebrating the return of closer political ties between the countries. The grand ceremonial event will be the first for Macron, who enjoys a good personal relationship with the king. The last state visit to Britain by a French president was in 2008, when Nicolas Sarkozy was a guest of the late Queen Elizabeth. Britain h...

March 6, 2025 9:52 AM

Macron will open debate about extending French nuclear protection to European allies

France is open to discussing extending the protection offered by its nuclear arsenal to its European partners, President Emmanuel Macron said in a grave address to the nation on Wednesday, in which he warned that Europe must face up to the threat from Russia. France and Britain are Europe's only two nuclear powers. "Our nuclear deterrent protects us: it's complete, sovereign, French through and through," Macron said on Wednesday in his televised speech. "But, responding to the historic call o...

February 25, 2025 9:22 AM

Trump, Macron display stark differences on Ukraine despite friendly veneer

U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron displayed stark differences on Monday in their approach to Ukraine, exposing a divide between the United States and Europe over Trump's bid for a quick ceasefire deal with Russia. During a day of talks between the two leaders, Trump and Macron showed a friendly rapport based on years of good ties. But Macron made clear he disagreed with Trump on some key issues as they marked three years since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022....

February 18, 2025 10:53 AM

Europe talks up more defence spending as Ukraine peacekeeper plan divides

European leaders meeting in Paris for emergency talks on Monday called for higher spending to ramp up the continent's defence capabilities but remained split on the idea of deploying peacekeepers to Ukraine to back up any peace deal. The leaders also agreed it would be dangerous to conclude a Ukraine ceasefire without a peace agreement at the same time, and that they were ready to provide security guarantees to Ukraine "depending on the level of American support," a European official said. "...

February 11, 2025 9:33 AM

PM Modi receives warm welcome from Macron ahead of AI Summit in Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Paris, expressing enthusiasm for the AI Action Summit, which the two leaders will co-chair. Macron also extended a warm greeting to United States Vice President JD Vance, who is attending the summit. Sharing a post on X, Macron wrote, "Welcome to Paris, my friend @NarendraModi! Nice to meet you dear @VP Vance! Welcome to all our partners for the AI Action Summit. Let's get to work!" Earlier, PM Modi had posted on X, "Deli...