France to leave energy charter treaty

By Esra Taskin

PARIS (AA) - France has decided to withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty, which protects investments in the oil and gas sector, the country’s president said Friday.

Speaking after the EU leaders’ summit, Emmanuel Macron said “in line with our climate objectives, France is withdrawing from the Energy Charter Treaty,” adding that the decision is “coherent” with the 2015 Paris climate deal.

Macron said they want the EU to meet its energy needs entirely with electricity.

Macron’s announcement came after a recent decision by the Polish parliament to exit the 52-nation agreement last month and declarations by Spain and the Netherlands that they too wanted to leave the arrangement, while Italy withdrew from the treaty in 2016.

Speaking on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Macron said 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers will be trained in his country.

Recalling that France announced last week that it would deliver new military equipment to Ukraine, Macron said they are working to send Caesar howitzer reinforcements.

Expressing that they also discussed the EU-China relations at the summit, Macron said: "We need strategic independence."