His comments came during a discussion about the proposal to form a European-Asian alliance to become “the third largest economy in the world in terms of growth rates,” as he put it.
Macron clarified that he has historically opposed any NATO intervention in Asia, but he noted that military cooperation between North Korea and Russia in Europe alters the equation.
He stated, “In recent years, I have opposed any role for NATO in Asia because the ‘N’ in its name stands for North Atlantic… But what Pyongyang is doing in cooperation with Moscow on European soil poses a threat that warrants reconsideration.”
The French president warned China that failing to prevent the presence of North Korean forces in Europe could lead to an expansion of NATO operations in Asia, adding, “If China does not want NATO to intervene in Southeast Asian affairs or the continent as a whole, it should not allow North Korea’s military presence in Europe.”
