Ahead of the elections for the European Union Parliament, French President Emmanuel Macron gave a speech today (Thursday) at Sorbonne University in Paris, and warned against the global challenges facing the West. Macron expressed fear that Europe would collapse in lieu of economic and security crises worldwide.
"The battle to build a strong Europe is far from over. We must achieve a reliable defense for the European continent, and do more to compete with the rapid armament of our global rivals," Macron said. "There is fear that Europe may die in the coming years."
According to him, "We are at a turning point, and Europe may be left behind in the coming decades. We are experiencing a profound change in the concept of security, and the values of European liberal democracy are receiving increasing and undermining criticism."
Concluding his remarks, Macron warned that, "Europe needs to change direction and step up its defense capabilities. The continent needs to wake up and realize that it is not armed enough to deal with global threats, such as the war between Russia and Ukraine."