Europe needs to play a more active role in NATO, reducing its dependence on the U.S. and developing its own defense capabilities to ensure peace in the region shaken by the war in Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters on his return to Paris from a summit in Amman, Jordan, Macron stressed that he did not see his desire to develop European defense as an alternative to NATO. A stronger Europe, he said, would allow the continent to become more autonomous within the alliance, acting within NATO, together with NATO, but also not dependent on NATO.

Macron is walking on thin ice on the edge. He has already infuriated Ukraine and some of its allies by calling on the West to give Russia security guarantees as part of any negotiations to end the war in Ukraine and prevent the conflict from spreading to Europe, the WSJ notes.

The price of war for Russia and the West has created an opportunity for diplomacy, which Macron is trying to develop.  He traveled to Washington in late November for talks with Biden on the war, telling French television shortly after the meeting that the two leaders discussed the security architecture we want to live in tomorrow.

He assured that he supports the strategy of the absolute defense of Ukraine. According to him, the Ukrainian battlefield will have to be enshrined in a new text that should establish a new order that ensures the political stability and security of this region and of Europe. Macron noted that security guarantees under this new architecture should extend to Ukraine and Russia, as well as to neighbors such as Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Armenia.

All the Europeans and Westerners who teach me moral lessons must explain to me who will sit at the negotiating table, Macron added.