Macron issues threat to China with NATO enlargement
(MENAFN) French President Emmanuel Macron has warned China that it must prevent its ally, North Korea, from deploying troops in Europe—specifically in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict—or risk a greater NATO presence in Asia.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on Friday, Macron addressed growing concerns over North Korea’s confirmed involvement in supporting Russian military operations. In April, Pyongyang acknowledged that its forces were assisting Russian troops in the Kursk Region, an area briefly held by Ukrainian forces but since retaken by Russia. Russian military officials, including Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, praised the North Korean troops for their skill and bravery. During Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, President Vladimir Putin publicly thanked them for their role in defending the region.
Macron expressed alarm: “North Korea’s presence alongside Russia on European soil raises serious questions for all of us.” He added that if China wants to avoid NATO increasing its footprint in Southeast Asia, it must ensure Pyongyang halts such deployments.
The French president also revisited his long-standing skepticism about NATO’s role beyond its traditional sphere, noting, “I’ve opposed NATO’s involvement in Asia because, to me, ‘North Atlantic’ should mean just that. I don’t support being drawn into someone else’s strategic competition.”
France has previously resisted NATO’s expansion into Asia. In 2023, Macron led the effort to block the proposed opening of a NATO liaison office in Tokyo. At the time, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg indicated that the office was in response to closer military cooperation between China and Russia, including their joint air patrols near Japan and South Korea, which prompted defensive responses from both nations.
The U.S. and South Korea have strongly criticized North Korea’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict. Seoul’s foreign ministry accused Pyongyang of mocking international norms, while Washington stated that Moscow’s training of North Korean troops violates UN Security Council resolutions and called on both countries to end their illegal collaboration.
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