French President Emmanuel Macron has spoken out against a “too fragile ceasefire” in the conflict in Ukraine in an address, French media reported on Thursday.
“The path to peace cannot come through the abandonment of Ukraine,” he said, adding that peace “cannot be built at any price and under Russian dictate and cannot be the surrender of Ukraine.”
He advocated the deployment of European troops in Ukraine, stressing that these forces “will not go to fight on the front lines today, but will be there as soon as peace is signed to guarantee its full respect.” Macron said that next week France will gather the chiefs of staff of countries ready to “guarantee a future peace in Ukraine.”
The French president said it would be “madness” for his country to remain a “spectator” in a “world of dangers.”
“If a country can invade the territory of its neighbour in Europe with impunity, no one can be sure of anything,” he added. “Russia has become a threat to France and to Europe,” the French leader said, citing figures of weapons he said Russia would have by 2030. He believed “the Russian threat goes beyond the conflict in Ukraine, as Moscow has made it a worldwide conflict.”
According to Macron, France and Europe “were right to support Ukraine from the beginning and impose sanctions against Russia.”
At the same time, Macron is confident that the world is entering a “new era.” The French president believes:
“The US, our ally, has changed its position on this war, is less supportive of Ukraine and leaves doubts about what comes next. Our security and our well-being have become more uncertain, and it should be said: we are entering a new era.”
He also spoke of his intention to hold a “strategic debate on the defence of our European allies” by the French nuclear deterrent force, stressing: “Whatever happens, the decision has always been and will remain in the hands of the president of the republic.”
Europe’s voice
In Europe, Macron’s speech was met with a barrage of criticism. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of France Unbowed (LFI), wrote on X:
“Yes, Macron is telling the truth. This is a change of era. But we can no longer follow those who got us into trouble and idealised the US. Absolute priority: the security of our own borders on the five continents, environmental security, military security and the social needs of the population. Down with war!”
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, leader of the party Debout la France (France Arise), commented on X:
“Manipulation through lies and fear. Who else can believe Emmanuel Macron? Enough is enough! Impeachment is necessary because this man is so dangerous for France.”
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan also said in an interview:
“Those who want peace are the bad guys. Those who want war are the good guys. […] Ukraine must be demilitarised. […] Ukraine is a buffer zone between the Slavic world and the Western world.”
