Macron Says 'This Very Moment Could Be the European Moment'

(MENAFN) French President Emmanuel Macron issued a bold call Friday for the European Union to transform itself into a full-fledged geopolitical force, arguing that global upheaval has handed the bloc a rare and defining window to reshape its role on the world stage.

"I think this very moment could be the European moment," Macron said at an Ekathimerini event in Athens, framing the current period of international disorder as an opportunity rather than a threat.

Drawing on widespread uncertainty over U.S. reliability and mounting pressure on the global rules-based order, Macron contended that Europe's core strengths — its predictability, economic weight, and commitment to international law — uniquely position it to step into the void and wield greater influence.

The French president cast Europe's geopolitical ambitions as the natural next chapter of the broader European project, noting that the bloc had already delivered peace and prosperity despite its inherent complexity and had demonstrated a consistent capacity to advance through crisis.

He argued those hard-won achievements should embolden Europeans to push further still, insisting "there is no reason we will be unable to write a new one."

"We have to become a power," Macron declared, warning that Europe must move beyond its identity as merely "a peace place and a single market" and evolve into "a geopolitical power."

Macron acknowledged that Europe already possesses the necessary scale — in defense capability, trade leverage, and financial clout — but stressed that those assets must be converted into real influence through deeper integration, swifter collective decision-making, and robust protection of strategic industries.

He also renewed his longstanding push for a stronger European defense architecture and a more assertive European pillar within NATO, urging the bloc to "buy European and produce as Europeans."

Framing the current juncture as "a wake-up call for Europe," Macron called for greater strategic autonomy and a more unified continental voice in global affairs.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reinforced the message from the same stage, describing the current era as "a unique opportunity for Europe" and pressing for greater substance behind the concept of strategic autonomy. He urged the bloc to urgently bolster its defense posture, sharpen its competitiveness, and secure its energy independence — warning that the years ahead would be "make or break for Europe."

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