Yep, says so in the article too. I think the difference is the scale of it.

France really likes to do great things and awful things at the same time. Like, good on them for raiding Elon, but they really have to show everyone France still sucks.

To be fair to him, his role isn’t about European independence. That’s the EU’s job. Currently NATOs defense capability is built around the US, the organizer and founding member. It makes no sense for him to not consider the US because that would defeat the purpose of NATO.

Doesn’t really matter what he says if you want EU independence.

I guess these conventions are only good for when you don’t really need them