WEB DESK: After calling on Europe to ramp up investment in space, declaring it the next frontier of global power competition, French President Emmanuel Macron made an intriguing post Friday on his official X and Instagram accounts.
He shared an image showing an iPhone screen with an incoming call from “Rafale” and captioned it: “European friends, you have a call.”
European friends, you have a call. pic.twitter.com/VY7gmqPUKZ
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 20, 2025
The post, which quickly gained traction with over 5.4 million views on X, carried a subtle yet clear message to Europe: the time has come for EU countries to reduce their dependence on NATO and strengthen their own defence capabilities by increasing investment in military infrastructure.
MACRON’S POST AND NATO’S SPENDING GOALS
Though seemingly playful, Macron’s post has interesting background. The story traces back to March, when former US President Donald Trump raised doubts about America’s commitment to NATO.
He stated bluntly that he would not defend NATO allies if they weren’t paying their “fair share” for defense. “It’s common sense, right?… If they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them.”
Following such remarks, NATO floated the idea of raising the defence spending target for member countries to 5% of their GDP. This proposal sparked serious discussion across Europe.
A push is now underway for member countries to agree on the new spending target at a NATO summit in The Hague scheduled for June 24–25. However, controversy has already emerged. Spain has requested to opt out of the plan, potentially jeopardizing the summit.
In a letter to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez requested a “more flexible formula” that would either make the 5% target optional or exclude Spain from its application entirely.
Interestingly, even the United States – despite pushing for increased spending – allocated an estimated 3.38% of GDP to defense in 2024, the third-highest among NATO members. Even then, President Trump has continued to criticize NATO allies for not meeting their obligations, hinting that US protection might not extend to those who fall short.
EUROPE’S NEW DEFENSE FUNDING PROGRAMME
In light of rising geopolitical tensions and pressure from NATO and the US, EU governments approved last week a $1.73 billion scheme to fund joint defence investments.
The European Defence Industrial Programme (EDIP), which was delayed by more than a year due to internal disagreements, is part of a broader push to rearm the continent, spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Here, France appeared as a strong advocate for strict ‘buy European’ rules to boost European industry while countries such as the Netherlands argued for more flexibility to buy arms from the United States, Britain and other nations.
Macron’s latest Instagram post, featuring ‘Rafale’s call’, is a symbolic continuation of the same “Buy European” narrative. With this subtle messaging, he appears to be encouraging EU neighbours to invest in European-made military technology, particularly the French-built Rafale.
‘EUROPE SHOULD RAMP UP SPACE INVESTMENT’
Before making the ‘Rafale calling post’, Macron also made headlines by calling for a more ambitious European space strategy.
Au cœur du Salon du Bourget, avec les équipes d’Airbus, fleuron de notre industrie aéronautique et acteur clé de I’innovation européenne. Derrière les talents, il y a notre excellence industrielle et notre souveraineté. pic.twitter.com/tKGJ6Jze69
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 20, 2025
Speaking at the Paris Airshow, he said: “At the intersection of all these public and private questions, as well as civil, military, scientific and industrial ones, space has in some way become a gauge of international power.
“I want to say that they [Europe’s space players] have our full support and confidence. I want us to build this new champion as soon as possible.
“This is what will allow us, as Europeans, to have the scale to improve competitivity and volume. It’s a sector consolidation.”