When I met with Emmanuel Macron last September, the youthful French president appeared on the brink of despair. He was struggling in vain to persuade other European leaders to coalesce behind a strategic vision that would ensure Europe could defend its future interests in a resurgent big-power rivalry with Russia, China and the United States.

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His impatience showed as he described his frustrations in getting other European leaders to share his urgency in preparing for the next big crisis to test Europe.