Paris (dts) - France's Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné sees Germany and France as the most important engines in Europe. “As in every phase of European construction, France and Germany have a shared responsibility to set goals and act quickly and decisively,” Séjourné told “Welt”.
The relationship between the two countries has not weakened, as is often claimed. “In the past, Germany and France have implemented ambitious projects such as the European Recovery Plan during the Corona pandemic. And the initial reactions to Macron’s latest speech were positive,” Séjourné continued.
In his keynote speech on the future of Europe at the Sorbonne in Paris on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron primarily addressed Germany, for example with a view to joint arms projects and the development of a European arms industry.
Séjourné called for “standardization for weapon systems at the European level”. The aim must be to ensure that military material can be used by all states without any problems. “That would be an important step to strengthen NATO’s European pillar,” Séjourné continued. “We have to take out a second life insurance policy alongside NATO.”
The US should remain close allies, but Europe must be able to develop its own “sovereignty and strategic autonomy,” Séjourné said. A state visit by President Macron to Germany is planned for May. Then details of the most recent Sorbonne speech will also be discussed. According to Séjourné, this will be “a high point in German-French relations”.
