French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during a news conference on France assuming EU presidency, in Paris, France, December 9, 2021. Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS.
Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday the European Union needed to define a new defence strategy that would strengthen its ability to defend itself, even though the trans-Atlantic NATO alliance remained useful and effective.
"We have common threats and common objectives," Macron told a news conference at which he laid out his priorities for France's presidency of the European Union in the first half of next year.
