Europe is at “an unprecedented moment in its history” that forces it to take care of “its defense and security” on its own, especially against a Russia that “will be here tomorrow, the day after tomorrow”, the leader of the French said today state of Emmanuel Macron.

“We will not change geography with Russia, which today threatens our security and has attacked Ukraine,” he said in a speech to young Europeans in Dresden, eastern Germany, where he is on an official visit.

All these years Europe certainly counted on the American ally, which is still today the main supplier of weapons to Ukraine, to help it push back Russia that is attacking it. “We have the right, even the duty, to tell ourselves how lucky we are to have these allies. But is it reasonable to ask them to make ever more efforts?” he added, advocating again and again for a Europe that takes its defense into its own hands.

“We Europeans want lasting peace, that is, the peace that the Ukrainians – because we will have allowed them to defend their country – will have chosen and negotiated”, and which will not be a “capitulation”.

“We have to think about our defense, as an ally within NATO, to do it as a member of the European Union but also as a member of the European political community,” Macron said.

“The real integration of Europe will be a Europe that knows how to think for itself and for itself its common framework of security and defense and this is the challenge of the years to come,” he stressed.

The French president also warned of the dangers of the far right for democracy in Europe less than two weeks before the European elections.

“Let’s look around at the intense interest in authoritarian regimes, let’s look around at the illiberal moment we’re living in,” he said.

“The far right, this adverse wind is blowing in Europe, this is a reality, so let’s wake up!” he emphasized.

At the start of his visit on Sunday, Macron said democracy was in “crisis”, pressured by the “rise” of extremism and a “fascination for authoritarianism”.