French President Emmanuel Macron assured this Friday that he will continue to “talk with Russia”, despite the criticism that this arouses, but he also called on China to speak out against the “imperialist war” in Ukraine.
“All of our countries have a position to uphold, that of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. […] whatever the friendships, the alliances that we can cultivate”, he said during a reception at the Elysee on the occasion of the New Year of the lunar calendar.
“Some people in the past have been able to reproach me for talking to Russia and I will continue to talk to Russia,” added Emmanuel Macron, one of the rare Western heads of state to have kept in touch with the Kremlin master. Vladimir Putin, after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Emmanuel Macron challenges China
“But who could defend the possibility of a free and stable international order if we close our eyes to an imperialist war?” launched the president, alluding in particular to China.
“We are all responsible for this order and we must enforce it simply by being clear about our principles,” he continued, before an audience of economic, artistic and academic personalities linked to Asia.
Lors du sommet du G20 en novembre en Indonesia, il avait déjà appelé son homologue chinois Xi Jinping à “unir” leurs “forces” contra la guerre en Ukraine, soulignant que la “stabilité” du monde était aussi dans “l’intérêt” de China.
Moscow and Beijing present themselves as a geopolitical counterweight to the United States and its allies. Russia is also seeking to strengthen its ties with China in the face of Western sanctions imposed after its offensive against Ukraine.
Source: BFM TV
