French President Emmanuel Macron used his address to the UN General Assembly to call for a renewed commitment to international law and the UN, warning against a return to a "law of the jungle." He condemned destruction of civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, urged a double moratorium on strikes targeting civilians and energy sites, and criticized the lack of humanitarian access in Gaza. Macron also proposed pooling investment to build an open-source, cutting-edge AI model to prevent dependence on a few global powers.
Macron Urges Nations To Choose The UN Over A Return To The 'Law Of The Jungle'
The French president called for Moscow and Kyiv to agree a moratorium on striking civilian and energy targets (TIMOTHY A. CLARY)
French President Emmanuel Macron used what he described as his final address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to call for a renewed commitment to international law and the United Nations system, warning against a resurgence of a "law of the jungle."
Macron framed the debate in stark terms: societies must choose between a world governed by agreed rules or one dominated by brute force and unilateral power. "The question before us is simple: do we want to live in a state of nature, with a return to the law of the jungle, or in a civilised international community?" he asked.
Defending Sovereignty and Civility
"My message is to stand firm. Do not yield to the situation which is developing...The rhetoric of defeat that is giving way to abuse of power by empires, threatening the sovereignty of some nations," Macron told the assembly.
He reiterated his long-standing support for Ukraine, saying he had raised the country's plight with US President Donald Trump. Macron urged both Moscow and Kyiv to agree to a "double moratorium" — suspending strikes on civilian and energy infrastructure — to protect civilians and stabilize the situation.
'Barbaric Acts' And Gaza's Humanitarian Crisis
"We've seen the destruction of civilian infrastructure, human rights violations. It's a new era of barbaric acts," he said.
Macron also pressed the international community over Gaza, challenging its credibility in the face of blocked humanitarian access. "What is our credibility worth if we remain inactive on Gaza? Some say peace has been achieved, yet humanitarian deliveries have not been opened up. It is a spectacle that shames us all," he warned.
AI: A Collective, Open Approach
Responding to other leaders' warnings about artificial intelligence, Macron proposed an alternative architecture for AI development: a shared, high-end open-source model built through pooled international investment. "I do not want any country to become the vassal of one of the great powers. Instead, we should unite to build an open-source frontier model — a cutting-edge system," he said, urging cooperation so countries would not be dependent on technology controlled by a few actors.
Macron's speech sought to link contemporary crises — the war in Ukraine, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and technological rivalry — to a broader choice about the kind of international order nations will uphold.
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