France says Europe must no longer depend on the US for its security

ISTANBUL

Europe must no longer depend on the US for its security, the spokesperson of the French government said Wednesday.

“Although the Americans obviously remain our allies, we must no longer depend on them for our security,” Sophie Primas said at the Council of Ministers meeting.

“Europe is realizing that it cannot delegate its security to other powers,” she said and warned that Europe’s security and defense abilities are “at risk.”

Primas reiterated solidarity with Ukraine and the need to secure a robust and durable peace in line with the statements made after the emergency meeting held in Paris Monday.

She also underlined once again that no lasting peace would be achieved without the presence of Europe and Ukraine in talks.

US-European relations deteriorated this month after US President Donald Trump initiated direct discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Ukraine peace talks without European involvement.

At the weekend Munich Security Conference, Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, confirmed that Europeans would not be invited to planned US-Russia talks on Ukraine peace.

Adding to the tension, US Defense Secretary Hegseth suggested that European countries, not the US, should provide peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.

Hegseth specifically stated that any such deployment should be non-NATO and would not be covered under Article 5 (on NATO’s collective defense), stressing that US troops would not be part of any security guarantee arrangements.

Leaders from several major European countries gathered in Paris on Monday at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss transatlantic relations, the situation in Ukraine, possible peace negotiations, and security in Europe.