Recent Bloomberg News agency reports that French President Emmanuel Macron’s messages about increasing military aid to Ukraine seem awkward because of the dilemma between peacemaker and provocateur.
“While he is certainly a strong advocate for increased military aid to Ukraine, the French president’s messaging has at times sounded clumsy as he oscillates unpredictably between peacemaker and provocateur,” the news agency said.
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Emmanuel Macron said in February that the EU had agreed to create a “ninth alliance for deep strikes” – providing Ukraine with medium- and long-range missiles. He also said that France would do everything to prevent Russia from “winning this war”.
According to him, the leaders of Western countries have discussed the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine.
But a consensus has not yet been reached, “but nothing can be ruled out.” During a meeting with opposition leaders in early March, Macron reiterated that France “has no limits and no red lines” on the issue of assistance to Ukraine.
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Macron’s remarks sparked sharp criticism from several NATO allies, including Germany, and internal political factions within France. Accusations against the president ranged from dragging Paris into the conflict to displaying frivolity, with additional reproaches for his failure to consult parliament on these matters.
The Kremlin subsequently acknowledged Macron’s statements, highlighting discussions within Europe regarding the deployment of military personnel to Ukraine.
Moscow is well aware of Macron’s stance on inflicting a strategic setback on Russia in Ukraine. They emphasized that many nations participating in the Paris talks regarding Ukraine maintain a cautious approach towards the potential risks of such actions and direct involvement in a heated conflict, emphasizing that it’s not in their best interests to do so.
During a phone call with his French counterpart, Sébastien Lecorne, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu warned of the complications that sending French troops to Ukraine would entail for France itself.
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Earlier, the press office of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, citing Director Sergei Naryshkin, asserted that a French military presence in Ukraine would become a prime legitimate target for Russian forces.