It is not enough to have shields, you also need swords – Macron insists on developing weapons for precision strikes

31 May, 2023 French President Emmanuel Macron. Photo from open sources French President Emmanuel Macron believes that Europe and NATO need to develop not only stronger air defense but also increase the capabilities of precision strikes.

The Guardian reported this. They note that during his speech at the security issues forum in the capital of Slovakia, Macron will call for a "strategic awakening" of European countries and increased support for Ukraine. In addition, the French President will attend the European Political Community summit in Moldova, which was organized on his initiative.

In addition to the leaders of the EU, Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the UK, will also participate in the event. It is expected that Recep Erdogan might also attend the summit. The publication's sources in the Elysee Palace reported that European leaders seek to remove Turkey's veto on Sweden's accession to NATO.

France wants a decision to be made in July during the Alliance's summit in Vilnius.

And the fact that the summit is being held in Moldova is a clear signal to Russia that European leaders are in solidarity with Moldova and Ukraine that are applying for EU membership. In addition, France and Germany will hold a military conference in June, which will be dedicated to the German initiative on the European "sky shield". There, France will advocate the idea that European countries should develop "deep precision strike" capabilities.

The Elysee representative notes: "It is not enough to have shields, you also need swords."

The proposal to develop this long-range capability for NATO was recently discussed at a Franco-British summit in Paris in March.