At the end of his trip to Jordan on Wednesday, where the stabilization of Iraq was particularly discussed, the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron decided to deploy in three ways: The worldthe Wall Street Journal and the Lebanese daily a nahar – His positions on the Ukrainian conflict.
Of this interview, Ukraine’s entry into NATO, considered unlikely, was the most commented step. But this new departure against the current of Kyiv’s demands reflects a broader desire of the president: that of not “humiliating Russia”, as he declared on June 3, providing Vladimir Putin with “security guarantees”.
“I have always been clear in saying that I do not believe that this conflict can end only militarily,” Emmanuel Macron insisted on Wednesday.
“I am aware that this bothers many people who are at the scene of the annihilation,” continued the head of state.
“Defend Ukraine”
Despite the tensions that his statements may create among his most pro-Ukrainian allies, the French president intends to continue through diplomatic channels, although he acknowledges that real talks will not be able to take place in the coming weeks.
Currently, the West is “in a strategy of absolute defense of Ukraine, of victory for Ukraine, which will be built in the end with a new text that must build a new order that guarantees the political and security stability of this region and of Europe”. , recognized Emmanuel Macron.
“The priority today is to defend Ukraine, which we have been doing since day one,” he said.
The fear of a Turkish monopoly in the negotiations
This French call to leave the door open for negotiations serves Emmanuel Macron’s own geopolitical agenda. Since the outbreak of the conflict last June, Turkey has moved to organize discussions between Kyiv and Moscow.
In March, Russian-Ukrainian talks were held, with more than relative success, in the Turkish coastal city of Antalya. And President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is often portrayed as one of the only leaders still listening to Vladimir Putin.
“Let all the Europeans and Westerners who give me moral lessons explain to me who they are going to sit at the table with. Personally I don’t want it to be only the Chinese and the Turks who negotiate the day of ‘after’, the head of state launched on Wednesday.
A vision for the entire post-Soviet space
The Elysee’s desire to maintain the possibility of discussing with Russia is part of a broader vision than just the conflict in Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron has a project for the entire post-Soviet space, and he made it known during his interview on Wednesday.
“We must think of a security and stability architecture that guarantees above all the security and stability of Ukraine, but also that of Moldova, that of Armenia, that of Azerbaijan, Georgia. And the question will also be asked tomorrow: those of Belarus, ” he said.
Source: BFM TV
