Macron asks world: 'Do we want to return to the law of the jungle?'

French President Emmanuel Macron used his address to the UN General Assembly to demand a restoration of the international order built on international law and the UN, asking whether the world was prepared to "return to the law of the jungle." He also called for building an independent AI ecosystem free from dependence on major powers such as the United States and China.

Speaking at the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday (local time), Macron asked: "Do you want to return to the law of the jungle and live in a state of nature, or do you want to live in a civilized international community?"

"My message is: let us stand firm," he said, urging the world not to "yield to what is happening." He added that nations must not "give in to the rhetoric of defeat that threatens the sovereignty of some countries and leads to the abuse of power by empires."

The remarks were a warning against reverting to an international order in which the raw power of major states overrides international law and multilateralism.

Macron also argued that countries must break free from dependence on major powers in the race for technological supremacy over AI.

"Nobody wants to be a vassal of a great power," he said. "We must work together to build open-source frontier models and cutting-edge models." AFP said the "great powers" Macron referred to were the US and China, which are locked in a contest for AI dominance.

The remarks stood in sharp contrast to the message delivered the same day by US President Donald Trump, who also addressed the General Assembly and emphasized American supremacy in AI. Trump rejected international oversight of AI, saying the US was ahead of China and other rivals and intended to maintain that lead.

On the Ukraine war, now in its nearly four and a half years, Macron urged both Russia and Ukraine to stop attacking energy and civilian infrastructure.

"We must protect civilians," he said. "That is why I support a moratorium on strikes against energy and civilian infrastructure."

He also called on the international community to act on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. "If we stand by and do nothing about Gaza, what credibility do we have?" Macron asked.

"Some claim peace has arrived, but it has not even opened a path to deliver humanitarian supplies," he said. "This is a sight that shames us all."