If an EU country like France has an issue with the White House’s policy or approach towards a contentious issue, it should bring it up with the US directly. It is imperative that allies do not engage in public criticisms or conflicts with one another, especially in front of their adversaries, such as China. This approach ensures that diplomatic channels remain open and constructive, reinforcing the importance of maintaining a united front against shared threats.

However, French President Emmanuel Macron, in a diplomatic misstep, traveled to Beijing to assert France's foreign policy independence from the United States. After exchanging pleasantries at a tea ceremony in Guangzhou during a three-day state visit to China, he emphasized the need for Europe to “reduce its dependency on the United States” and challenge “the extraterritoriality of the U.S. dollar.”

Macron insisted on positioning France as a “third superpower,” claiming it would lead Europe’s “strategic autonomy.” However, Macron should realize that strategic autonomy does not come from placating China. The war in Ukraine demonstrates that the Franco-German Axis is not the leader it claims to be. The United States, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the Baltic countries are the ones doing the most. For its own security, Europe cannot afford to be Franco-German "led."

Macron's belief that Europe can detach from its primary security partner, the United States, amid the collapse of the liberal order and the rise of autocracies, is a dangerous and ill-timed delusion.

The United States has long been a crucial ally for Europe, providing essential security guarantees and support. Macron’s arrogance and ego may remind us of Charles de Gaulle in 1966, when he demanded that American military personnel leave France. At the time, President Johnson famously asked if that order applied to American soldiers buried in French cemeteries.

Macron’s remarks risk pushing for more American isolationism, which is not in Europe’s interest. The French president also stated that he doesn’t want Europe to be entangled “in crises that are not ours,” like Taiwan. Yet, he is relying on U.S. security commitments in the crisis over Ukraine.

The United States has committed over $113 billion to the war in Europe. The least it can expect in return is that European leaders refrain from turning to China and expressing disinterest in supporting America. This is the bare minimum that allies should expect from each other.

Furthermore, Macron’s position risks dividing Europe. Nordic, Central, and Eastern European countries view the United States as their security guarantor and will not abandon that relationship for France’s sake.

The lack of any deterrent message to Beijing is dangerous. Macron is indirectly saying autocratic powers can bully their neighbours without facing repercussions and that Europe will stay neutral on the issue. The Taiwan crisis is not about America but about Taiwan’s sovereignty and Chinese imperial ambitions. Macron’s remarks are incongruous with the fundamental principles of European classical liberalism and hasten the demise of the liberal international order.

Perhaps President Macron could benefit from revisiting the timeless fable of La Fontaine, "The Frog Who Wished to Be as Big as the Ox." In this tale, a frog endeavours to expand itself to the size of an ox, only to meet a tragic end by bursting in the process.

Similarly, while France may aspire to be a “third superpower," it must bear in mind the vital role played by its transatlantic partners, notably the United States. Just as the frog's overinflation posed a threat to its own existence, France's pursuit of excessive arrogance may jeopardise its relations with the United States and other nations.

This article was written by Romy el Haber. Romy is a writer based in Italy. She is a researcher and journalist with a master’s degree in international security, focusing on non-state actors, minorities in the Middle East, and individual sovereignty.