I'll post new info as I hear them in the comments

  • NaturalsNotInIt [any]
    ·
    edit-2
    3 years ago

    Two contradictory possibilities:

    1. The US is offering this as an olive branch to get France on board with the NATO/Ukraine bullshit. Horse trading game because France is acting independent. US helps out their empire, France falls in line with the grander Atlanticist vision.

    2. France did this as a message and dick-waving towards the US/UK. I.e. :france-cool: "has its own neo-empire and sphere of influence to play with that we can manage on our own, we don't need to be tied down by the sinking-ship that is NATO"

    IMO 2 is far more likely. Macron wants to show strength and independence with the election coming up. All of his big opponents are anti-NATO/anti-USA to some extent (from Mélenchon to Zemmour), so he has to go that path.