France has always been more strategically independent relative to other European such as the UK. But Macron's trip to China while important for French and European interests, caused a stir after he commented about the need for Europe to be more autonomous. Some, like Poland, took it as a snub to the US and transatlantic relations, while many other EU nations tacitly agreed.

But which is right? What did Macron mean and where does he stand? I put these questions to Tara Varma, visiting fellow at the Brookings Institutions, Center on the United States and Europe, and French expert. Prior to that, she was senior fellow and the head of the Paris office of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).

FOLLOW Tara: https://twitter.com/tara_varma?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

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