PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized on Tuesday that the Europeans would be "irresponsible" if they failed to prepare for strategic independence from the United States within the next five to ten years.

In an interview with the French public channel TF1, Macron said that due to the persistent "America First" policy, "the interests of the US will be less and less (focused) on Europe."

He pointed to a clear pattern of American disengagement from European allies over the past 15 years. It started "when the United States decided not to join us in Syria, when it unilaterally withdrew from Afghanistan, and can be seen in recent months," Macron said, referring to the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.

Calling the current global climate "a moment of geopolitical awakening", Macron emphasized that the European Union, originally built as a project for peace, must now face the challenge of remaining "free".

When asked about how Europe should respond to the US tariffs, Macron firmly opposed the trade war but underlined Europe's resolve. "We are here, and we will fight to the end," he said.