French President Emmanuel Macron will address the nation on Wednesday evening to try and soothe voters' concerns over the new U.S. administration's upending of the international order.
European countries are scrambling to boost defence spending and maintain support for Ukraine after President Donald Trump froze U.S. military aid to Kyiv and fuelled doubts about Washington's commitment to its European NATO allies.
"In this moment of great uncertainty, where the world is confronted by large challenges, I will address you tonight," Macron said on X.
His televised address, which will touch on the Ukraine crisis and on the threat of a transatlantic trade war, is scheduled for 1900 GMT, on the eve of a crucial European Union summit on defence.
Macron's address comes amid a flurry of European diplomacy to shore up support for Ukraine and try and mend ties between Washington and Kyiv after an acrimonious meeting between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the Oval Office last week.
"We feel a lot of anxiety among people," an aide to Macron told Reuters, referring to concerns over Ukraine expressed by voters to their lawmakers or directly to Macron himself.
"We need to transform these anxieties into a desire to act and move forward," the aide said.
At Thursday's summit, EU leaders will discuss a proposal by the European Commission to borrow up to 150 billion euros ($160.40 billion) to lend to member states under a rearmament plan.
In his TV address, Macron will speak about what the 27-nation EU and allies such as Britain can do together to bolster European security.
"We're entering a new era, and we all need to get involved," government spokeswoman Sophie Primas told a press conference. "Europe is strong. We must reinforce our defence and invest more in our security."
'LASTING AND ROBUST PEACE'
The aide to Macron said the president would also address fears about a new trade war after Trump slapped steep tariffs on goods from China, Mexico and Canada and threatened to do the same for EU imports.
Despite such concerns, Macron will make clear in his speech that the United States remains an ally and that Europe needs it to help defend Ukraine.
France is working on re-establishing ties between the United States and Ukraine to achieve a "lasting and robust peace," government spokeswoman Primas said.
One idea promoted by France is a partial one-month truce between Russia and Ukraine that would cover air, sea and energy infrastructure attacks but not include ground fighting.
Meanwhile, Macron's push to beef up French defence spending won't be easy as his government struggles to tame an unruly budget deficit.
Primas also said on Wednesday that Macron was considering travelling again to Washington, this time with Zelenskiy and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. But the Elysee later said there was no plan for Macron to travel there at this stage.
($1 = 0.9352 euros)
