French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to his counterpart Mark Rutte shows that the Netherlands and France are remarkably united on important issues such as migration, the US Inflation Reduction Act and the F-16 handover. “They have the best relationship they’ve ever had,” says European journalist Stefan de Vries.
The impression that remains after Macron’s state visit is that of two best friends meeting again, and that is good news for Europe. Both gentlemen met on the eve of the European summit in Brussels, so they have already done the necessary preliminary work. Europe first sounds like the adage and with this Europe is not necessarily aligned with the transatlantic ally.
Unintended consequence
During the press conference, Rutte said that American ambitions to achieve the Paris goals have unintended consequences. The prime minister refers to the Inflation Reduction Act, the law that allows American (and European!) companies to receive subsidies from Washington.
According to De Vries, Rutte wants to see how much European money is available to set up the European Green Deal and then talk about a new fund in two months’ time, but Macron is calling for swift action. Rutte has promised Macron that he is willing to examine how to adjust state aid. The rules for state aid could be relaxed, even there Rutte and Macron have become close.
European
According to De Vries, Rutte plays “the role of a European” and calls it amazing. Neither is amused by the IRA and is sailing a clear European course. ‘There’s also been talks of arms support for Ukraine and they too have a different opinion on that than Joe Biden. They really work together, but it’s Europe First, even for Rutte.’
Another hot topic is migration. And Macron and Rutte also agree. ‘It becomes almost monotonous. They want asylum policy to become more efficient and for better border control. Last week, the Netherlands presented a series of proposals to this effect, which were enthusiastically welcomed by Macron’.
However, it is not clear how the policy will be changed, says De Vries, but it is clear that a different asylum is a fervent wish of member states. And that this has been going on for years. De Vries thinks Mark Rutte’s high-profile placing of migration on the agenda is election-inspired, after all, provincial council elections are due next month. “And it doesn’t even suit Macron electorally.”
F-16 and Mirage
The third hot potato in European-American relations is called the F-16. Where US President Joe Biden flatly refuses to supply it to Ukraine, the Rutte-Macron tandem excludes nothing. ‘Even the Netherlands has no taboos. If Ukraine were to ask for F-16s or Mirages, the issue will be studied at that time.”
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
