Macron: I Do Not Want a Selfish and Divided Europe

President of France Emmanuel Macron held an interview with Italy’s leading papers, La Repubblica, Corriere della Sera, and La Stampa, in which he affirmed that France was there to help Italy and that the populace of the nation should be cautious about taking aid from China or Russia to fight the virus.

“France stands beside Italy,” Macron said. “There is a lot of talk about Chinese or Russian aid, but why don’t we say that France and Germany have delivered 2 million masks and tens of thousands of gowns to Italy?”

“It is not sufficient, but this is just a start and we must not let ourselves be intoxicated with what our international partners and competitors say. Europe must feel proud and strong, because it is. But it must indeed go much further. This is why I defend budget solidarity in the management of this crisis and of its consequences,” Macron added.

“What worries me is the illness of 'every man for himself': if we do not show solidarity, Italy, Spain or others would be able to say to their European partners: where were you when we were at the front? I do not want this selfish and divided Europe”.

By B.Alexishvili