A Coalition to Avoid Becoming 'Vassals of Hegemons': Macron's Proposal

French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed forming a new coalition of countries during his recent tour of Asia aimed at countering the influence of the United States and China in global processes. This was reported by Bloomberg.

In a speech in Seoul, Macron stated that 'medium-sized countries' must cooperate and avoid becoming pawns under the influence of the two superpowers. 'Our goal is not to become vassals of the two hegemons,' he said to students in Seoul. He added that he does not want to be dependent on China or overly subjected to the unpredictability of the United States.

Macron also emphasized that such cooperation could encompass areas such as artificial intelligence, space, energy, nuclear matters, defense, and security. He declared that the objective is to avoid dependence on China and the unpredictable influence of U.S. policy.

His remarks came against the backdrop of criticism from the U.S. president, who, according to reports, expressed dissatisfaction with allies' positions regarding developments around Iran. Macron responded by stating that France is not participating in military operations and has not been involved in the decision-making process. He also noted that military means alone cannot resolve the issues in the Middle East and proposed the establishment of mechanisms for conflict prevention, as well as ensuring safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.