00:00Welcome back to Euronews. Great to have you.
00:01Thank you. Good morning.
00:03Listen, we heard from Kaya Callas.
00:05They're resisting this pressure coming from Aloni, Macron, for the EU to engage.
00:10Directly in talks with Russia. Do you think it's the right moment?
00:15Aloni, they're right to say we need to be around the table because today...
00:20It's even a bit shocking. Who is defending the European...
00:25...around the table, not the United States, not Russia.
00:28And I think that Ukraine...
00:30...and the EU, we have the same goals.
00:33We want more stability.
00:34We want...
00:35...we want peace.
00:35We want security.
00:36And I think it would be legitimate if there is a...
00:40...a way to make sure that our European interests are better defended.
00:44But who...
00:45...who can go to those talks?
00:46Who can stand up to Putin?
00:47Is it Kaya Callas?
00:48Because many leaders say she's...
00:50...she can't do it.
00:51Yeah, I think that the European Council has a special role to play because...
00:55...that's a very legitimate body with 27 head of state, head of government, and that's...
01:00...I think a debate for the European Council, and I'm confident that sooner or later...
01:05...the European Council can give a mandate to someone.
01:07It can be to the point of the European Council...
01:10...is Antonio Costa, for instance, to be the one who has the legitimacy to talk on behalf...
01:15...of the 27 member states.
01:16Yet calls in this town this week from some...
01:20...on the EU to consider merging the roles of the Council Chief and the Commission Chief.
01:25Is that something you'd support?
01:25Do we need a president of the Europe?
01:27Look, this is a traditional...
01:30...debate and the day there will be a direct election of...
01:35...the European representatives of the European institutions, then that's a legitimate...
01:40...debate and question.
01:41But, you know, my impression is the following.
01:44The European...
01:45...
01:45...Union is based on a double legitimacy.
01:47The member states on the one hand, and on the other hand...
01:50...the European Parliament and the Commission with a certain role to defend the general European...
01:55...in interest, and I feel whatever we do in terms of institutions, we will have always...
02:00...to take into account this double reality.
02:03You had harsh words for the NATO Chief, Mark.
02:05...to earlier this week.
02:06Do you think he's smooth-talking Trump too much?
02:09You say...
02:10...that Europe is able to defend itself.
02:11I want to be clear.
02:13Mark Rutte is disappointing.
02:15...and I'm losing confidence.
02:16Why?
02:17Because I'm not expecting Mark Rutte to be...
02:20...the American agent and expecting Mark Rutte to work for the unity within NATO.
02:24Today we can...
02:25...you can see that Article 5 is put in danger.
02:28Why?
02:29Because of this...
02:30...
02:30...very hostile rhetoric developed within the United States, developed by the White House.
02:34Point...
02:35...we face intimidation, we face threats.
02:38What is going on?
02:39...
02:40...with Greenland is not acceptable, and I expect Mark Rutte to be Australian...
02:45...to defend the unity within NATO.
02:48But how, if you were in his shoes, what should Europe do?
02:50How can it stand up to Trump?
02:51It's very clear that appeasement will not work.
02:54Flattering...
02:55...
02:55...diplomacy will lead to a failure, to a total failure.
02:59The more you...
03:00...use this flattering diplomacy, the more we are observing the United States are doing...
03:05...very far in this tactic of intimidation and threats against the...
03:10...and the EU is a very loyal partner and ally for the United States.
03:14That's right.
03:15We do not deserve this behaviour.
03:17We can see, for instance, the ambiguities...
03:20...coming from the United States with Russia, the way Donald Trump decided to give legitimacy...
03:25...to Vladimir Putin, we can see some sanctions against the former EU...
03:30...but that's not acceptable.
03:31Finally, on Ukraine, very briefly, if you can, President Zelensky says...
03:35...the country should join the EU by 2027.
03:37Is that feasible?
03:38He's absolutely right, and that's possible.
03:40The secretion of political will, the Ukrainians are making a lot of progress.
03:45In terms of criteria that have to be fulfilled to join the EU...
03:50...and everything must be done to help them, to support them, and I think that...
03:55...Ukraine, being a member of the EU, it should take place as far as...
04:00...as possible.
04:01Jacques-Michel, that's all we have time for.
04:02Thank you so much for coming to join us on set.
04:05This morning, see you again soon, we hope.
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