French Defence Minister urges Europe to build its own arms industry Warns of “Serious Kick in the Behind”

French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu has called for a stronger European commitment to its own defence, citing the United States' shift in priorities under President Donald Trump.

Speaking on France Inter, Lecornu highlighted the growing focus on the Asia-Pacific region, warning that Europe must not rely solely on American security support, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Lecornu pointed out that the US’s strategic pivot away from Europe towards Asia was a “serious kick in the behind,” urging European nations to bolster their own defence capabilities. While acknowledging that Europe’s push for strategic autonomy was necessary regardless of who occupies the White House, he suggested that Trump's brash rhetoric could accelerate the process.

“We may finally see a shock and an awareness,” Lecornu remarked, suggesting that Europe could no longer afford to “shelter under the American nuclear umbrella” as it had for decades. He stressed that Europe needed to focus on developing its own defence industries, warning against increasing arms purchases from the US.

The minister also criticized former French Foreign Minister and current EU Commission Vice-President for Prosperity, Sebastien Sejourne, for suggesting that Europe could secure favourable trade terms with the US in exchange for greater arms imports. Lecornu dismissed this as a dangerous trade-off, quipping, "We will not trade our security for hamburgers and German cars."

Lecornu's comments came after Trump’s inaugural speech, in which he made no mention of the ongoing war in Ukraine, underscoring the waning importance of European security in Washington's eyes.

President Emmanuel Macron echoed Lecornu's concerns on January 20, reiterating the need for Europe to undergo a "strategic awakening" in light of uncertain US commitment to transatlantic security. Other European leaders have similarly called for stronger European defence capabilities amid shifting international dynamics.

By Aghakazim Guliyev