French President Emmanuel Macron has urged members of the European Parliament to begin new security negotiations with Russia in order to defuse increasing military tensions on the border with Ukraine. 

The appeal was part of Macron's remarks to MEPs as France takes the helm of the EU Council presidency. Macron has met with other EU heavyweights, including Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Charles Michel, recently in Paris. 

Macron's speech was quick to plunge into Europe's history and how its dark chapters have led to the creation of institutions such as the European Commission and the European Council. 

He told MEPs the challenges of 2022 affirm the need for Europe to assert its sovereignty. 

"The next few weeks must lead us to finalize a European proposal building a new security and stability order, we must build it among Europeans, then share it with our allies in NATO and then submit it to negotiate with Russia," Macron said.

"Security on our continent requires strategic rearmament," he said, adding that "frank and demanding" talks with Russia were also required.

Macron has long been a proponent of the EU having its own "strategic autonomy" in defense matters, which has typically been left to member states and NATO. 

The French president said the bloc must bring itself to a position to make sure "it can be respected," which includes a closer examination of energy supply needs from Russia. 

French election on the horizon 

Macron is busy at home as he takes the helm of the European Council. 

Daily COVID-19 infections have topped 460,00 in France and politicians are taking aim at Macron in the run up to the presidential election.

Citizens will go to the polls during two rounds of voting this April. 

Macron has not officially declared his candidacy for the post, but is polling in first place.

In a recent survey, 25 percent of respondents said they planned to vote for Macron in the first round, with just 18 percent saying they would support his 2017 rival, Marine Le Pen. 

Le Pen has attacked Macron and other leading candidates, notably conservative Les Republicain contender Valerie Pecresse, for their strong support of the EU.

"To defend the idea of European sovereignty as the Macron-Pecresse twins are doing seems to me totally incompatible with the presidential function, which is set in stone in our constitution and that makes the President of the Republic the guarantor of our national independence," Le Pen told reporters Tuesday.

Cover photo: Bertrand Guay / Pool / AFP