PRESIDENT MACRON DELIVERED AN INTRODUCTORY AS HE ARRIVES IN BRUSSELS

USPA NEWS - President Macron, when he arrives in Brussels, for the European Council of June 24-25, which is held, in presence for the 27 heads of state and chiefs of government, addressed a short introductory, followed by a Q&A session, as he responded to the questioners to at the Doorstep. The French head of state Macron, delivered an introductory, as regard of the agenda to be tackled during the two days European Council, in Brussels, highlighting the major topics, to be discussed, including the Rescue Plan (The European Commission has validated the French Rescue Plan share), the Hungary’s bill to be passed over LGBTQI, Turkey, and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, amongst others « First we are going to hold a Council which will cover a lot of subjects, starting with finding the Secretary General of the United Nations, whom I congratulate on his re-election and his new mandate, and cover a whole series of international subjects, which will allow me first of all to explain our strategy in the Sahel but also to cover many themes in terms of foreign relations on which France has been engaged for several months.

President Macron, when he arrives in Brussels, for the European Council of June 24-25, which is held, in presence for the 27 heads of state and chief of government, addressed a short introductory, followed by a Q&A session, as he responded to the questioners to at the Doorstep. The French head of state Macron, delivered an introductory, as regard of the agenda to be tackled during the two days European Council, in Brussels, highlighting the major topics, to be discussed, including the Rescue Plan (The European Commission has validated the French Rescue Plan share), the Hungary’s bill to be passed over LGBTQI, Turkey, and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, amongst others « First we are going to hold a Council which will cover a lot of subjects, starting with finding the Secretary General of the United Nations, whom I congratulate on his re-election and his new mandate, and cover a whole series of international subjects, which will allow me first of all to explain our strategy in the Sahel but also to cover many themes in terms of foreign relations on which France has been engaged for several months. At the end of a collective work that we have carried out on Turkey, we will clarify the lines of a re-engagement of the dialogue which I welcome, of a joint work on the subject of migration and a policy of stability in the Mediterranean eastern. » According to the agenda, EU leaders will review the state of play of the implementation of Next Generation EU.  The European Council will take stock of the epidemiological and vaccine situation and pursue coordination efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, leaders will address any remaining obstacles related to the right of free movement across the EU. They are expected to discuss the recommendation on the economic policy of the euro area, addressing the migration situation on the various routes. In line with the statement of the members of the European Council of 25 March 2021, leaders will resume discussions on relations with Turkey, and they will resume discussions on relations with Russia, on the basis of a report by the High Representative and the Commission.They will also review progress on the banking union and capital markets union.

PRESIDENT MACRON ASSUMES A DIALOGUE IS NECESSARY WITH RUSSIA FOR THE STABILITY OF THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- President Macron explained that Russia will be on the table of the discussion during the 24-25 June’s European Council, as it is obvious to bring out the subject of Russia, given that US. and Russian Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin met in Geneva last week : « We will also have to evoke Russia and on this subject, I consider that the work that has been carried out, the report that we had requested, really makes it possible to move forward. We assume to have a dialogue to defend our interests as Europeans, with exigency. And so we define the unity of Europeans in this dialogue with Russia, we assume this dialogue, which is a dialogue necessary for the stability of the European continent but demanding because we do not give up any of our values ??or our interests. I think this is the correct method. We cannot remain in a purely reactive logic with regard to Russia, on a case-by-case basis, whereas in a very legitimate way we witnessed a few weeks ago a structured discussion between President Biden and President Putin. You know that this is the line that France has held for a little over two years now and I hope that we can, with real European coordination and European unity, have this demanding and ambitious dialogue."

PRESIDENT MACRON RECALLS THE EU IS MOVING FRORWARD BY DEPLOYING ITS VACCINATION STRATEGY--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- President Macron rolled out the further discussion of the two days European Council’s agenda "We will also have to discuss other international subjects during lunch and then this afternoon. Then, of course, we will talk about the pandemic. Europe continues to move forward, to deploy its vaccination strategy and we are seeing the results that are there with the gradual reopening. Nevertheless we must all be vigilant because the famous delta variant arrives, which diffuses much faster than the previous variants and, as we can see, which affects people who are not vaccinated or who have only had a single dose. and what requires us, what forces us, to be even faster in this vaccination campaign and especially very coordinated between Europeans. For me, one of the challenges of the discussion is to really take coordination decisions in terms of opening borders with third countries and in terms of vaccine recognition, because at this stage we really have to limit ourselves vaccines that have been approved by the European Medicines Authority."

PRESIDENT MACRON UNVEILS THE NEAR VALIDATION OF THE NATIONAL RESCUE PLANS----------------------- President Macron acknowledged the Rescue Plan to be tackled during the European Summit « Following this discussion we will also talk about economic recovery. The national plans are in the process of being validated by the Commission, the common money has been raised and therefore the decisions of last July are becoming realities and I welcome this. In this area, I will also focus on the crisis exit strategy that we have built, in particular by appointing economists from around the world under the leadership of Mr. Blanchard and Tirole. Yesterday they gave me a substantial report on the climate strategy, the growth strategy, the fight against inequalities and the demographic challenge. I hope that this report can be shared with all Europeans so that it becomes a core doctrine for Europe. We will continue these debates tomorrow morning with a euro zone summit which will also allow progress to be made here because I think that today we must accelerate in terms of ambition to end the crisis. » President Macron added : « Finally, this evening we will have to talk about subjects of the rule of law and obviously also of the fight against discrimination and the defense of all minorities. On this subject, I have only one word. It is simple: it is the voice of Europeans. We have values ??which are our foundation even before the construction of the European Union and which constitute its fundamental foundation. These values ??of Europe are those of the Council, they are today those of the European Union. They are based on respect for the dignity of each person and therefore the fight against discrimination and no weakness with regard to those who endanger the rule of law. We need to have a discussion between Member States. It will be frank, it will be firm and then I wait for the European institutions in the name of all and in the name of our principles, to put in place the procedures which are expected in this case. » President Macron declared.

Q&A SESSION WITH THE PRESS----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To the question of making the Hungarian President Viktor Orban withdraw his law on LGBTQI, President Macron replied: "I think that in the dialogue, we will see what he will say, but I have respect for sovereignty so j 'I would be cautious when it comes to asking or requiring another leader to withdraw a text but I will defend our values. I would say that today the law as it is put on the table does not seem to me to comply with our values ??and what Europe is. I hope that in this dialogue we will also find a way which will allow it to carry out what its priorities are, but while fully respecting our values ??and therefore itself to bring about a change of this text."----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regarding the hot topic of Russia-Ukraine conflict the French Head of State Macron replied that it is indeed the moment to dialogue with his counterparts: "there are cases which are contentious that we know and these subjects are not settled . We also have the question of Ukraine and therefore we know the preconditions for positive re-engagements. But on these subjects, we cannot remain in an absence of dialogue. We must speak, including of our disagreements: c 'is the only way to resolve them. So coordination of Europeans, unity of Europeans, definition of our five principles and demanding dialogue to try to open ways and resolve our differences. It does not mean at all that we forget these disputes or that we have some weaknesses. " President Macron answered a journalist's question