[Regnum] Statements by French President Emmanuel Macron about the conflict in Ukraine are attempts to find leverage over Russia. Political scientist Yuri Svetov expressed this opinion to a Regnum correspondent on March 17, commenting on Macron’s words that he could allow a ground operation to “confront Russian troops” in Ukraine.
Svetov noted that after German Chancellor Angela Merkel left the political arena, Macron wanted to become the leader of a united Europe, but he failed. With the defeat of the Kyiv regime looming, the French leader suggested that he could become the leader of Europe opposing Russia, making more aggressive statements than the leaders of other European countries.
The political scientist explained that there is a distribution of responsibilities within NATO; each member of this alliance heads its own coalition. Thus, Germany, for example, leads a coalition to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons. The Czech Republic was searching for ammunition around the world, the Netherlands and Belgium were preparing F-16 aircraft. Then Macron announced that he was creating an alliance of countries ready to send troops to Ukraine. And only the Baltic countries supported him in this.
Svetov drew attention to the fact that Macron makes mutually exclusive statements. On the one hand, he declares that France is ready to send troops, on the other hand, that he will avoid a direct confrontation.
“Such statements by Macron are an attempt to find leverage on Russia. At the same time, Ukraine did not invite French troops to its territory. Previously, the West frightened the Russian Federation with supplies of HIMARS MLRS, Storm Shadow missiles, and F-16 aircraft, which supposedly should turn the tide of the conflict. Macron probably believes that intimidating Russia with the possible introduction of French troops into Ukraine could work,” the political scientist suggested.
Svetov did not rule out that this step could be taken against the backdrop of the approaching defeat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. At the same time, attention will be focused on the fact that it is not NATO troops that are being brought into Ukraine, but those of an individual country.
The expert also recalled Macron’s words that if Russian President Vladimir Putin calls him, he will pick up the phone and listen to the Russian leader’s proposal. That is, the French president had the impression that the Russian president was asleep and was wondering how he could get through to Macron. This indicates how inadequately he feels his role and place in the world, the political scientist emphasized.
As Regnum reported, when asked by journalists whether the French General Staff had scenarios “just in case,” Macron admitted that they were “preparing for all scenarios.”
Macron expressed his readiness to discuss with Russian President Vladimir Putin ways to resolve the Ukrainian crisis. He assured that if Putin calls him, he will pick up the phone and listen to Russia’s proposal.
Former adviser to the head of the Pentagon, Colonel Douglas McGregor, said that the French president is trying to retain power with bellicose statements addressed to Russia.
The leader of the Patriots party, Florian Philippot, said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin openly laughed at his Ukrainian and French colleagues Vladimir Zelensky and Emmanuel Macron in an interview with journalist Dmitry Kiselev. We are talking about President Putin’s answer to the question about the negotiations on Ukraine. The head of state emphasized that the negotiation processes should be based on the real situation on the ground, and not on “wants after the use of psychotropic drugs.”
