Friday

9th Jun 2023

Macron spars with US and Turkey over Nato

  • Nato alliance leaders are meeting in London (Photo: Nato)

The presidents of France, Turkey and the United States sparred over Nato as the 29 leaders of the 70-year old alliance gathered in London.

In a late night tweet on Tuesday (3 December), French president Emmanuel Macron entrenched his views on the future of the fraying alliance.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

"We can't put money and pay the cost of our soldiers' lives without being clear on the fundamentals of what Nato should be," he said.

The position follows his earlier comments describing Nato as "brain dead", given Turkey's October invasion into north-east Syria, displacing tens of thousands of people.

After US president Donald Trump abandoned the Kurdish militias, who had fought alongside US and French troops in the struggle against the Islamic State, Turkey moved in.

Trump's move - leaving the Kurdish militias exposed to Turkish troops and rocket fire - in turn triggered an international and domestic backlash.

Ankara insists the Kurdish militia are terrorists and wants to carve out a so-called safe zone in the area, where it then wants to push back Syrian refugees currently hosted in Turkey.

But the safe-zone idea has received no support from a European Union that is increasingly wary of Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan using refugees as political and strategic leverage.

Meanwhile, Turkey had earlier threatened to block Nato efforts to better secure the Baltic republics against any possible Russian aggression.

The threat followed Turkey's controversial purchase of the Russian S-400 air defence system. Fears are mounting that a Russian air defence system inside Nato could expose sensitive information to Russian military intelligence.

But Lithuanian foreign minister Linas Linkevicius had down played Erdogan's Baltic threat, telling EUobserver it was more about Turkey flexing its muscles than substance.

Erdogan insists the alliance members must first recognise the Kurdish militias in Syria, also known as the YPG, as terrorists.

Macron on Tuesday baulked.

"The common enemy today are the terrorist groups, as we mentioned, and I'm sorry to say that we don't have the same definition of terrorism around the table," the French president insisted.

"When I look at Turkey, they now are fighting against those who fight with us, who fought with us, shoulder to shoulder, against Isis. And sometimes they work with Isis proxies," he said.

Trump had also lashed out at Macron for Europe refusing to take back the foreign fighters imprisoned in north-east Syria.

He defended Turkey's decision to buy the Russian defence system - but then did not rule out imposing sanctions against Ankara for the purchase.

Trump also credited himself for shoring up an additional $130bn in Nato spending among allies.

Nine Nato members have so far reached the agreed target to spend two percent of their GDP on defence before 2024.

Erdogan: refugees will enter Europe unless EU does more

Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Ankara will "open the doors" for refugees and migrants to enter Europe unless it does more to help. The EU says it won't help Turkey create a so-called "safe zone" in north-east Syria.

Opinion

Nato at 70: not 'brain dead', but needs shot in arm

There is a significant risk that Nato will be weaker and more divided after the London meeting than it was before. What was supposed to be a low-key celebration of the 70th anniversary takes place against multiple crises.

Opinion

Nato and EU: cooperate, not compete, on space security

Ahead of its summit in London this week, Nato foreign ministers confirmed the intention to make space an "operational domain" – alongside air, land, sea, and cyber. The move will bring space within the scope of the alliance's collective-defence commitment.

Podcast

Macron's ugly side

For many people, Emmanuel Macron still represents the great hope for an open and liberal Europe. So what to make of the French president's growing preoccupation with Islam, terror and security?

Opinion

Turkey's tightrope could finally snap in Libya

Turkey has embarked on a neo-Ottoman strategy, aiming to re-establish itself as a regional power. This involves simultaneously reaping the benefits of Nato membership whilst pursuing an overtly-expansionist foreign policy, even including a loose partnership with Russia in Syria.

Opinion

How the EU's money for waste went to waste in Lebanon

The EU led support for the waste management crisis in Lebanon, spending around €89m between 2004-2017, with at least €30m spent on 16 solid-waste management facilities. However, it failed to deliver.

Latest News

  1. EU's proposed ethics body 'toothless', say campaigners
  2. Study: 90% of Spanish inflation 'driven by corporate profits'
  3. If Spanish economy is doing well, why is Sanchez poised to lose?
  4. EU lawyering for Russia: making 'good' money?
  5. The 'BlackRock exemption' has no place in the EU's due diligence directive
  6. Europeans don't see China as a rival, but weapons to Russia is a red line
  7. Cleaning workers urge Parliament: 'Europe should lead by example'
  8. Final push for EU-Mercosur deal, amid deforestation fears

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations
  2. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  3. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  4. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us