Macron urges countries to 'stand firm' in face of 'abuse of power'

French President Emmanuel Macron urged world leaders on Tuesday to prioritize international law and the United Nations system over a resurgence of "law of the jungle" mentality. Speaking during his final address to the UN General Assembly as president, Macron criticized the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and called for a ban on strikes against civilian and energy targets in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Macron emphasized that humanity must choose between living in a state of nature, with a return to the "law of the jungle," or embracing a civilized international society. He warned against the rhetoric of defeat and power abuse by empires, which threaten the sovereignty of nations. The French leader, a vocal supporter of Ukraine, advocated for the two countries to agree to a moratorium on targeting civilians and energy infrastructure.

Describing the situation in Gaza as a "new era of barbaric acts," Macron stressed the need to protect the civilian population. He advocated for a double moratorium on strikes against energy and civilian targets in Ukraine. Addressing the global community, Macron expressed concern over the credibility of nations if they remain inactive in Gaza. The situation has not yet facilitated humanitarian deliveries, which he deemed shameful for all involved.

Macron also reflected on the risks posed by artificial intelligence, proposing an alternative architecture for its development. He advocated against nations becoming vassals of powerful entities and called for the creation of an open-source frontier model, a cutting-edge AI model that can be shared among all. Macron suggested pooling investment capabilities to build this collaborative AI system, instead of relying on a single entity's dominance.