PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron's plea in the publications of 28 nations for a stronger European Union has gained support from neighboring Belgium and Finland.

In a tweet Tuesday, Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila offered support for Macron's call for "security, sustainable growth and ambitious climate policy."

Sipila added that people needed to see "the EU that is capable of making decisions and implementing them."

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said he particularly hoped for "a Europe that protects liberty and democracy," according to the agency Belga.

But in France, where Macron's popularity has dipped since his election, there was skepticism.

Nadine Morano of the opposition Republicans said that "in this column, the word France appears just once. This is Macronism — France has to disappear into this European federalism."