French President Emmanuel Macron poses with staff during a visit to the Safran Aircraft Engines plant in Villaroche, near Paris, to address the decarbonization of the aviation industry in ahead of the Paris Air Show on Friday. Photo: Pool via AP/Gonzalo Fuentes
Emmanuel Macron is trying to prevent Ben Wallace from becoming the next NATO Secretary General because the UK has left the European Union.
< p>The defense minister has been touted as a potential successor to Jens Stoltenberg when the Norwegian's term expires this fall. His candidate to replace him is Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
However, The Telegraph understands that French officials have told NATO colleagues that they need a figurehead from the EU. The move is part of France's push to make the bloc militarily independent and less dependent on Washington for its security.
A source told The Telegraph: “He is not from an EU member state. Many countries, mainly France, are pushing for the next Secretary General to be from an EU country.”
Mr Macron is backed by Germany and most of the bloc's 22 members, which are also members of NATO. The Netherlands and Poland are believed to be among the EU countries that could secede and support the UK candidate.
UK&# 39 Secretary of State for Defense Ben WallaceCredit: Reuters «UK must face 'consequences'
French officials have reportedly expressed concern about the state of the British military due to budget cuts, while Mr Macron had previously announced that France would increase military spending by more than a third by 2030.
Mr Macron, who has long argued that Britain must face the «consequences» of leaving the EU, has been instrumental in Brussels' plans to build a 5,000-strong «land, air and sea» rapid reaction force. Critics argue that the move would diminish NATO's role as Europe's main security guarantor.
According to EU plans, the armed forces will include special forces, intelligence, medical and evacuation personnel, and air and sea transport units . .
It is hoped that the force can be used to enforce a ceasefire, provide air travel, safely evacuate EU citizens from a hostile environment and provide emergency humanitarian assistance.
Other tasks are likely to include reconnaissance, reconnaissance and surveillance.
It will be supported by a command staff staffed by 350 EU officials capable of planning and conducting deployment operations.
The proposals, supported by France and Germany, were drawn up after the mistaken withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan to 2021, when EU leaders said they needed the ability to act independently of NATO and the US.
Paris recently demanded that the bloc not outsource large contracts to non-EU companies as it seeks to buy a million rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition to help boost supplies to Ukraine.
Mr Wallace is respected for his leadership due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but the French opposition could thwart his bid to become the next NATO Secretary General.Finnish Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen (right) joking with British Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace (left) with French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin in the background. The defense ministers met at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on 16 June. Photo: OLIVIER MATTHYS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
He recently told the German media: “I always said it would be a good job. This is the job I would like. But I also like the job I'm doing now.”
Sir Julian Lewis, former chairman of the House of Commons Defense Committee, said: «The NATO alliance is and has always been a means of reconciling the defense of sovereign states in Europe with that of the United States.
«To prevent the admirable Ben Wallace from becoming Secretary General of NATO is only because we left the European Union, shows a willful disregard for the different roles of the two organizations and undermines the cohesion of the alliance.”
In an attempt to avoid controversy that the next NATO Secretary General will become a public quarrel, it is now likely that Mr. Stoltenberg's mandate will be temporarily extended.
Joe Biden has reportedly urged him to stay in the role when they met at the White House earlier this week. The President of the United States said there could be no room for uncertainty as the war in Ukraine entered a critical phase.
Mr Wallace described NATO's role as «excellent work» and has the support of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to continue this roles.
A French veto of Mr. Wallace's candidacy could spark yet another incident in the protracted conflict. a series of scandals with the UK across the English Channel.
Former Norwegian Prime Minister, who headed NATO for almost a decade, insisted that he wants to leave this position.
But extending his stay in office would enable him to fulfill the task of securing Sweden's NATO membership.
Mr Stoltenberg has made it his personal mission to oversee talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to veto the Scandinavian nation from joining .
However, France may block Ms. Frederiksen's candidacy due to fears that a third consecutive Nordic Secretary General will create an imbalance within NATO in favor of its northern members.
Turkey also she is believed to have vetoed her candidacy after the Danish ambassador in Ankara was summoned when a Koran and a Turkish flag were set on fire outside the Turkish embassy in Copenhagen.
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