Macron urges nations not to be 'vassals' of US or China

French President Emmanuel Macron has called on nations worldwide not to become 'vassals' of the United States or China, following his public spat with US President Donald Trump over Iran and NATO. During a trip to Seoul on Friday, Macron urged countries including South Korea, Japan, Brazil, India, Australia, and Canada to form an 'independence coalition' based on shared commitments to issues such as international law, democracy, and climate change.

'Our objective is not to be the vassals of two hegemonic powers... We don't want to depend on the dominance of, let's say, China, and we don't want to be too exposed to the unpredictability of the US,' Macron said in a speech at Yonsei University. This stance comes amid tensions after Macron refused to back the US and Israeli war on Iran, prompting Trump to deride NATO as a 'paper tiger' when European members declined to support military action in the Strait of Hormuz.

Macron has criticized US military interventions in the Middle East, stating, 'I don't believe that we will fix the situation just by bombing or by military operations.' In line with this, France joined Russia and China in opposing a UN Security Council resolution that would have authorized military action against Iran in Hormuz, a vote that was postponed.

Concurrently, Macron has significantly increased France's defense spending in recent years, focusing on missile, drone, and submarine capabilities. Last month, he suggested France could extend its nuclear umbrella to protect Germany and other European countries, bolstering his call for greater strategic autonomy from superpowers.