President Emmanuel Macron of France praised Europe’s “predictability” during an April 1st visit to Japan, contrasting it with countries that “could hurt you without even informing you”—an apparent swipe at Donald Trump.
The U.S. president lashed out at France on March 31st, writing on social media that Paris had been “very unhelpful” during the war with Iran, which has since spread across the Middle East.
Macron told an audience of Japanese business leaders and investors in Tokyo
I’m well aware that sometimes Europe can be seen as a continent that is slower than others. But predictability has value, and we have demonstrated that over all these past years and, dare I say, even these past weeks: we are where you know we will go.
The French president criticised countries that said they were “going much faster” than their allies, but “you don’t know whether the day after tomorrow they will still be in that position, and whether tomorrow they won’t make a decision that could hurt you without even informing you.”
Before meeting Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi later on Wednesday, April 1st Macron spoke of the “dramatic impacts on energy” as a result of the war:
We are also on the side of international law, on the side of negotiation and the return of diplomacy.
France and Japan are also expected to discuss security and partnerships in the space sector, and intend to sign a roadmap on nuclear power in Japan, according to the Élysée Palace.
