At Politico summit, French politicians warn of risks to European sovereignty and urge stronger defenses, greater AI investment and a technology-neutral industrial policy

French politicians at a Politico summit raised concerns about Europe’s sovereignty and industrial competitiveness. Raphael Glucksmann, a French MEP and presidential candidate, accused U.S. President Donald Trump of being either a “useful idiot” or an agent of Europe’s destruction.

Glucksmann criticized Trump’s decision to ease restrictions on Russian diesel exports, saying Russia’s war against Ukraine directly targeted Europeans. He called for stronger European defense capabilities and joint investment.

Former French Prime Minister and presidential candidate Edouard Philippe urged greater European investment in artificial intelligence. He warned that falling behind the United States and China could undermine European sovereignty, called for European savings to be mobilized to support digital companies, and criticized German search engine Ecosia’s decision to stop using its own models in favor of Chinese alternatives.

Bruno Retailleau argued that unfair competition and excessive domestic regulation had weakened France’s industrial base. He warned that Europe risked becoming a “Chinese industrial protectorate” and an “American digital protectorate,” and called for a technology-neutral approach to the EU’s 2035 vehicle targets.