French President Emmanuel Macron has described Donald Trump’s return to the White House as an “electroshock” for Europe, urging the European Union to assume greater responsibility for its security and economic future. In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Macron emphasized that the EU must embrace a “strategic wake-up” and reduce its dependence on the United States, China, and Russia.

Macron’s remarks follow Trump’s phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where both leaders agreed to initiate negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine. The conversation, which lasted nearly 90 minutes, was the first known direct interaction between the two leaders since hostilities escalated in 2022.

For Macron, Trump’s foreign policy signals a profound shift in the global order, necessitating a fundamental reassessment of Europe’s strategic dependencies. The French leader highlighted the EU’s historical reliance on Chinese markets for exports, American military protection, and Russian energy for industrial production-an arrangement he declared no longer viable. According to Macron, the EU must adapt to this changing landscape by strengthening its defense capabilities and reinvigorating its economy.

A key point in Macron’s strategy involves reducing reliance on American-made weapons and investing in European alternatives. Specifically, he urged EU member states to adopt the Franco-Italian SAMP-T air defense system instead of the widely used US-made Patriot system. Macron’s push for an independent European military capability aligns with his long-standing vision of European “strategic autonomy,” a concept he has championed since his first term as........

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