Wake up and spend more on defence, Macron tells Europe

French president Emmanuel Macron has called on Europe to “wake up” and spend more on defence, in a speech to the French military as Donald Trump returns to power.

Mr Macron referred to expected changes in Washington’s foreign policies especially regarding the war in Ukraine and said this is an “opportunity for a European strategic wake-up call”.

“What will we do in Europe tomorrow if our American ally withdraws its warships from the Mediterranean? If they send their fighter jets from the Atlantic to the Pacific?” he asked.

Mr Trump has criticised the cost of the war in Ukraine for US taxpayers through major military aid packages and vowed to bring the conflict to a swift end.

He also has made it clear that he wants to shift more of the burden of Ukraine onto Europe.