Président Macron's speech tonight. (with English subtitles, I hope)

[Redheadedstepchild]

1

I hope that this uploads with English subtitles but if it doesn't, you should be able to get them up. I can't form any opinion about what he had to say right now, just passing it on.

Don't twist what I said d, I clearly said 3 years was bad

But exaggerating a basic fact shows your overall approach quite clearly

This is pretty scary

BBC live streaming the meeting. Hopefully by tomorrow we will have a clearer idea of who will do what.

Have you read any recent comments by European leaders?

Aren't you just a little bundle of delight 🌵

@sleepwouldbenice yes I am. What are your expectations?

I am following the announcement today for example.

It's in line with what I thought would happen so far.

What announcement?

For all Macron's posing as the big guy they've not actually "saved" anything yet, and I'd be amazed if French politicians were ever prepared to do anything unless it directly benefited France

Also worth remembering that in WW2 their sainted President didn't even hang around but scuttled off to the UK's protection, and even with Iraq they played both sides to the point where some ministers had to be kept out of the planning

Thank you, what I see are people reacting emotionally and angrily. In reality this is the push European leaders need. Now they are reporting that Germany deciding to loosen the purse strings will boost Germany's troubled economy, so they needed Trump to push them to increase spending to improve their security while fixing their economy?

As you rightly said European leaders were warned multiple times over the years and have lots of time but continue to faff around now we act like this just came out of nowhere.

I see the US's perspective as well, why should they continue to shoulder the bulk while European countries use their money for other things? Germany's army was so badly kitted they had to use broomsticks for training but they knew the US would be there to cover so they didn't have my urgency: https://www.newsweek.com/germany-cant-explain-use-broomstick-instead-guns-nato-exercise-307902

We all applaud Germany's fiscal responsibility, the US needs it too, the US's budget deficit is now nearly $2 trillion a year, imagine that. They now spend over $800bn a year just for interest payments on their debt so yes I see why they have said enough is enough.

What do they get in return? Europeans sneering at and looking down on Americans.

Macron has been trying to step into Merkel's shoes since she left and he wants to position France as the leading country for the EU military. Germany is still the biggest economy but due to the multiple leadership changes since Merkel they are in a dicey spot and I see lots of back and forth justling for influence between them.

I also wonder how the UK will fit into all this from outside the EU. The UK will have to increase defense spending before the recent 2.5% that Starmer announced and the question is where is the extra money coming from? It has to come from somewhere, either more cuts or increase taxes. The UK risks losing more relevance over the next few years of the EU army goes ahead as the third power after the US and China. Starmer is trying to maintain a good relationship with Trump and play a role in ending the war but at the end of the day money talks and if the UK can't spend to match others it will fall behind.

What do they get in return?

Nothing I suppose if you choose to discount the UK’s support in their various wars over the last 30 years.

No one out a gun to the UK PMs head to join the war, you joined because it aligned with your interests.

And all that doesn't justify all the trillions spent propping up European security over 80 years while you play possum.

Actions

No one put a gun to the States head and forced them to prop up European security, they did not because it aligned with their interests.

Play possum?

It's fine. You cosy up to putin. The land of the free (not) has my thoughts and prayers (not). Your economy is doing so well

Their interests are now aligned with Russia. Wow such an accolade

Actions

@sleepwouldbenice such as?

Yes, I am. Thank you for noticing .

No one out a gun to the UK PMs head to join the war

Article 5 was triggered by the US post 9/11 which did oblige the UK to come to its defence.

The US is the only member of NATO to have triggered Article 5.

And those interests have changed so Europe needs to step up and look after itself. Stop whining.

The US made it clear as far back as Obama's "pivot to Asia" that Europe was not the US's priority anymore and yet you didn't act. That's on you.

Let's hope that the US's pivot to Russia works out for you all. I'm sure Putin can be trusted.

No their interests is not aligned with Russia but I guess that makes it easier for you to deal with it. The US has said it has to prioritize itself and wants out of all the wars and spending. Ending the war requires working with Russia. That doesn't mean giving in to Russia but we have to work with Russia.

Japan was on the wrong side of the last world war and committed terrible atrocities and yet they are strong allies today. heck Germany caused two world wars but where are they today?

Geopolitics works differently and is based on interests and working with the likes of Russia and North Korea requires finding ways to align on certain things for peace. The war is at a stalemate and there is no Ukrainian victory without NATO boots on the ground which would be WWIII.

Trump has been clear the US is getting out of wars and focusing on itself. He did it with Afghanistan, I guess he is also a Taliban spy?

Ending the war requires working with Russia. That doesn't mean giving in to Russia but we have to work with Russia.

What concessions are they asking Russia to make?

It's doing way better than the UK 😂 😆.

Wages have stagnated so badly in the UK and there's no positivity. Look at the economic mews in the UK v US, companies committing to invest in the US while in the UK we sell all our companies with no vision.

Please don't even try to claim or pretend the UK is doing anywhere as good as the US economically. If the US economy is not doing well, the UK economy is in shambles.

The UK will need to increase defense spending beyond the 2.5% of GDP, let's see how that will happen.

Russia has actually stated the US foreign policy now largely aligns with theirs!

What concessions have Russia made? I am still looking for an answer there