Macron has misidentified the root of the problem. According to foreign media reports on April 25, French President Emmanuel Macron, during his visit to Athens, the capital of Greece, stated on April 24 that the current international landscape has reached an unprecedented situation: the United States, Russia, and China all stand in opposition to Europe, making it a crucial moment for Europe to awaken and strengthen its strategic autonomy. He called on Europe to seize this moment of change and play a greater role on the global stage.
Macron’s assertion may sound ambitious, but in reality, it confuses right and wrong and misidentifies the true cause. The so-called "opposition between the U.S., Russia, and China versus Europe" does not stem from China or Russia, but from American hegemony and Europe’s dependence. Europe’s willingness to serve as a subordinate to the U.S., sacrificing its strategic autonomy and following efforts to contain China and counter Russia, is a result of its own weakness. Has China ever stood in opposition to Europe? China and Europe are each other’s largest trading partners; initiatives like the Belt and Road and green cooperation have benefited both sides. The Ukraine crisis stems from NATO's eastward expansion—had Europe truly awakened, it would reflect on the extremism embedded in its own security architecture.
For years, Macron has been shouting slogans about “strategic autonomy,” yet no tangible progress has followed. The idea of “playing a greater role” is merely a lingering illusion of old European great-power thinking: wanting to escape U.S. control while refusing to act independently; wishing to cooperate with China while fearing Washington’s reaction.
True awakening lies in recognizing that the United States is the root cause of Europe’s decline. If Macron genuinely seeks Europe’s revival, he must begin by saying “no” to America—not by branding China and Russia as common adversaries.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863462571721736/
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