Emmanuel Macron, French President, said, “By continuing to reinvest in defense, all member countries-especially Europeans-are working to build this European pillar within NATO.”

At a press conference following the NATO Summit in The Hague, French President noted that “This is what we have been pushing for several years: a Europe that spends more, takes more responsibility for its security, and bears a greater share of the burden.”

“This has been the American wish for several years. It is a European necessity. We must do this for ourselves and to be more independent.

With this funding, we must develop a European defense industrial and technological base—that is, a Europe that defends more. Europe must also foster innovation and defense industry, not just buy from others.

“We must remember this amid the discussion, because there is the Russian threat. I said this months ago, but we have been living with it for years. The third Russian war in Europe has confirmed this threat. After Georgia and Crimea, the February 2022 aggression clearly exposed this long-term threat,” he added.