NATO, severely shaken in recent weeks, does not easily cope with painful debates. Hence the official silence, within the Atlantic Alliance, on the birth of Aukus, which will bring together, in the Indo-Pacific region, Australia and two eminent members of NATO, the United States and the United States. UK. A third, France, was sidelined, suffering the loss of a major submarine deal with Canberra at the same time.
After the angry outburst of Paris, we, at NATO headquarters in Brussels, let the storm pass, to better celebrate the soothing statement released after the exchange between Emmanuel Macron and his counterpart Joe Biden on Wednesday 22 September. He said in particular that Washington recognized that it was “necessary for European defense to be stronger and more efficient, contributing positively to transatlantic and global security, and complementing the role of NATO”.
A way of reconciling the French vision of a more autonomous and resilient Europe and the American vision of a solid European defense, but which does not compete with the Atlantic Alliance. A way, above all, to avoid an open conflict, just a few months after reunion between allies, at the end of a Trump era marked by controversies over the very role of the Alliance.