MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. France must regain control over the NATO military bases on its territory, said Pierre de Gaulle, grandson of French President General Charles de Gaulle (1959-1969) and president of the Pierre de Gaulle Foundation for Peace and Prosperity among Peoples.
"Unfortunately, there's no more national sovereignty where NATO bases are concerned. Francois Hollande has ruled that the NATO bases are supranational territories, this is why they no longer belong to France. It's imperative that we restore this autonomy, this independence, by any means," he told TASS on the sidelines of the Event Management Workshop.
According to de Gaulle, France needs to be responsible for its own defense, especially considering how inconsistent US foreign policy is towards its allies these days.
That said, he said that US President Donald Trump's promise to review relations with NATO countries should not be taken seriously, since the European countries of the alliance provide Washington with large financial revenues.
"I can assure you that they will remain in NATO because the alliance brings them financial benefits. 70% of military purchases come from American weapons," he added.
Earlier, Pierre de Gaulle said that NATO had become an instrument of aggressive policy, and it was time for France to leave its command and return to strategic independence. According to him, it should seek a multipolar world, in which Moscow and Paris could act as partners.