SINGAPORE – French President Emmanuel Macron has delivered a stark warning to Western powers, cautioning that their handling of the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza risks a catastrophic erosion of their global credibility and accusations of “double standards.” Speaking at the prestigious Shangri-La Dialogue, a high-level Asia defense summit, Macron appealed to Asian nations to forge a new alliance with Europe to collectively navigate a fractured global order.
Addressing an audience that included U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and top military officials from across Asia, Macron underscored the interconnectedness of global crises. He asserted that if Russia were to succeed in taking Ukrainian territory “without any restrictions, without any constraints,” it would set a dangerous precedent with profound implications for regional stability in Asia. “What could happen in Taiwan? What will you do the day something happens in the Philippines?” he questioned, directly referencing two volatile flashpoints in the Indo-Pacific.
“What is at stake in Ukraine is our common credibility, that we are still able to preserve territorial integrity and sovereignty of people,” Macron declared. “No double standards.” His comments implicitly criticized the perceived inconsistency in Western responses to different conflicts, a sentiment often voiced by countries in the Global South.
He made an equally pointed observation regarding the war in Gaza, acknowledging a widespread perception that the West has given Israel a “free pass.” Macron stressed the critical importance of working towards a ceasefire and mutual recognition of a Palestinian state, warning, “If we abandon Gaza, if we consider there is a free pass for Israel, even if we do condemn the terrorist attacks, we kill our own credibility in the rest of the world.” He emphasized the need for consistency and adherence to principles.
Macron’s candid remarks come as European leaders have increasingly toughened their tone on Israel’s military actions in Gaza, citing the spiraling humanitarian crisis. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, just last week, had launched a blistering attack on Macron and other European leaders, accusing them of effectively siding with Hamas.
The French president also used his platform to advocate for his vision of “strategic autonomy,” urging countries to protect their interests while collaboratively upholding a rules-based global order not solely dominated by superpowers. He referenced the uncertainty among allies regarding U.S. security commitments and global tariffs, seemingly alluding to President Donald Trump’s past policies and potential future approaches.
“We cannot just remain seated and say what do we do with tariffs, okay we are not so sure that we have the full-fledged guarantee in the existing alliance, what do we do?” Macron stated, calling for a “positive new alliance between Europe and Asia” to ensure neither region becomes “collateral damage of the imbalances linked to the choices made by the superpowers.”
The French leader highlighted the worrying development of North Korea’s support for Russia in Ukraine as a “big question for all of us,” suggesting that even events on the European continent have significant ramifications for Asian security.
Analysts, such as Mathieu Duchatel from the Institut Montaigne, noted that Macron’s comments on credibility contained “implied criticism of the US’ Middle East policy, and a direct call on US to adjust its diplomacy towards Russia.”
Macron’s speech at Shangri-La underscores a growing concern among some Western leaders that the perceived hypocrisy or inaction in certain global crises could severely undermine the West’s moral authority and ability to lead on the international stage. As the world navigates multiple complex conflicts, the French President’s urgent appeal serves as a powerful call for consistency, principle, and renewed multilateral engagement to preserve a credible global order.