BREST, France (AP) – French President Emmanuel Macron expects US President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday to show greater military commitment to fighting Islamic extremists on various conflict stages and especially in the Middle East.
Macron, who gave his New Year’s speech to the French military in Brest, in western France, said, “I am sure that in the coming weeks, the new government (Biden) will need to make important decisions that will mark a greater commitment and awareness in fight against terrorism “in Syria and Iraq.
Macron stressed that France continued its efforts to fight the Islamic State group in the region. About 900 French soldiers are currently participating in the United States-led international coalition. The aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle will return to operation in the coming months, he said.
He also called on the United States to become more involved in multilateral defense cooperation. Biden, whose inauguration is scheduled for Wednesday, promised to restore US relations with NATO allies and the alliance.
Under the Trump administration, the number of American soldiers in Afghanistan has been reduced to about 2,500 and American forces in Iraq have been reduced in recent months to reach the same level.
In his speech, Macron also suggested that he is considering a partial withdrawal of troops from the Sahel region in Africa, an “adjustment” he presented as a result of the successes achieved by French forces last year and an expected greater involvement by other European countries.
Macron said he would make announcements at a summit next month in the Chadian capital, N’Djamena. The deployment of some 5,100 soldiers in five West African countries represents France’s largest military operation abroad.