Ilayda Cakirtekin
25 June 2025•Update: 25 June 2025
ISTANBUL
French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday described waging a trade war within NATO as an "aberration," calling for tariff barriers to be lowered.
"Among allies, we cannot say we need to spend more, pledge to spend more, and then wage trade wars within NATO. That is an aberration. That is why it is very important to return to what should be the rule among all allies: real trade, which means lowering all tariff barriers that exist or have been reinforced," Macron told reporters at the end of the NATO summit in The Hague.
As NATO allies have pledged to allocate 5% of GDP annually by 2035 to meet both core defense requirements and broader security needs, Macron reaffirmed that he had been pushing for Europe that spends more for its defense and security.
"We are not dependent on others for our security. Therefore, I believe Europe must continue to strengthen itself to become less dependent, even though it is very good to have a broader alliance that gives us greater strength and depth," he said, pointing to the "solidarity" among member states.
Highlighting the gap between European capabilities and Russia's, Macron urged the bloc to arm itself and reaffirmed that Moscow's "war of aggression" in Ukraine remains a "priority concern" for them.
"At the same time, we must think for ourselves about the security guarantees and framework we want to live in tomorrow — one that curbs proliferation, one that regulates armament capabilities, just like during the Cold War," he explained.
Asked about the recent developments regarding Iran and Israel, Macron said the ceasefire is still "volatile" and "fragile," reassuring that it will be followed by an assessment of the damage that has been done.
"In any case, we must resume diplomatic and technical work on the nuclear issue, and so the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) will have a role to play. Of course, the United States has made contact, and the Iranians and Europeans also have their place in this process," he said.
Macron said a decision will have to be made whether the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) will serve as a framework. The JCPOA is the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, from which the US withdrew in 2018.
"I am advocating for three simultaneous ceasefires — and increasingly ambitious ones. The one between Israel and Iran, the one in Gaza which is essential and, for me, an absolute priority. And of course, the ceasefire we hope to achieve in Ukraine to begin peace negotiations," he added.
