Macron's BLOW to NATO amid plans to 'team up' with Russia's defence

FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron has urged European states to work with Russia and construct new security architecture, in a bid to strengthen defense capabilities within the European Union.

On Thursday, Mr Macron told a joint news conference in Helsinki the EU must rebuild European security architecture and "reconsider" relations with Russia, as well as pursue "strategic relations" with Turkey and other neighbouring countries.

The French President said: "We discussed many issues, including trans-Atlantic ties and relations with Russia,

"We want Europe to have strategic and defense autonomy to rebuild European security architecture in a broad sense, like I said several months ago in St. Petersburg, and there is the need to reconsider our relations with Russia."

"This wider Europe should build its security architecture with the powers, which are on its border, and the great nations, which share history with us."

Mr Macron has urged the EU to develop its own defence capabilities, in addition to its current alliance with NATO.

In July, US President Donald Trump threatened to pull out of NATO if member states fail to increase military spending.

His announcement wreaked havoc amongst member states, who expressed concerns over how they will deal with Russia if Washington were to withdraw from the alliance.

Mr Macron told the news conference: “It is in our interest for the EU to have a strategic relationship with Turkey as well as with Russia that brings stability, that will in the long term and bring more strength and coherency.

"I think that on matters like cybersecurity, defence, strategic relationships, we could envisage the outlines of a new relationship between Russia and the EU which is coherent with the direction Europe is headed in.

"Stability in the whole region is in our interest."

The French President added the EU's relations with Russia must be "brought up to date".

He declared hopes to see a shift in Russia's stance towards the Minsk accords - which aims to bring peace to eastern Ukraine - before establishing any partnership with Moscow.

Finnish President Sauli Niinston said: "Russia wants closer economic ties with Europe. But we can't do that while the Ukraine question remains open."

Source: www.express.co.uk

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