French FM sounds alarm on Europe’s political risks, asserts right to defy Washington

France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot delivered a pointed critique of the United States, warning that Europe’s political order is “in danger” and underlining that Europe retains the sovereign right to reject proposals from even its historic allies.

Speaking to France’s ambassadors during his annual address, Barrot sharply countered US claims that Europe faces “civilizational erasure,” while calling attention to external and internal threats to European unity, Le Monde reports.

“"No, European civilisation will not fade away," Barrot said. "But yes, our political order is today in danger, despite its precious stability in an unpredictable world, despite its immense scientific, technological, cultural and financial wealth."

The French minister was responding to a December US national security strategy released by the Trump administration, which labeled Europe as confronting “civilizational erasure” from migration and encouraged right-wing parties to “cultivate resistance.”

“No, Europe is not on the brink of civilizational erasure, and the presumptuous voices claiming it is would do better to watch out for their own erasure," the French FM said. But the European Union is, in his view, "threatened from the outside by adversaries who are trying to unravel the bonds of solidarity that unite us" and "from within by democratic fatigue."

Barrot emphasized Europe’s agency in its relations with Washington: “In a matter of months, the new American administration decided – and that is its right – to rethink the ties that bind us. It is also our right to say 'no' to a historic ally, however historic it may be, when its proposal is not acceptable and when we must say 'no,'" Barrot said.

The address came one day after President Emmanuel Macron criticized the United States for “gradually turning away” from allies and “breaking free from international rules.” Barrot also highlighted global security concerns, warning that the world faces “the risk of nuclear proliferation” due to the erosion of arms control frameworks and the impending expiration of the New START treaty, the last US-Russia nuclear arms pact, on February 5.

Tensions in Eastern Europe escalated overnight as Russia launched a hypersonic Oreshnik missile at western Ukraine near the EU and NATO border with Poland, after rejecting the latest post-war peacekeeping plan proposed by Kyiv’s European and US partners.

By Vafa Guliyeva