French President Emmanuel Macron was interviewed on French television today. The main points he spoke are as follows. Translations still in progress, this will be updated . . .
"The context of the (Ukraine) war is changing. This 2024 should be a year of a "bounce". He didn't explain what that "bounce" is, though.
"We decided to go on 5 (five) cooperative actions." Not certain if he means 5 individual countries or NATO engaging in 5 actions.
"If Russia wins, the life of french will change. Putin will not respect his word of "stopping there. His word isn't fiable. The security of France is compromised if Russia wins."
"Do you think poles, romanians, bulgarians, etc, will not be affected?"
"We (Europe) considered to include Ukraine in NATO. Nobody wanted it for real before. And even now..."
[HT REMARK: Here he admits how they deceived the Ukrainians to get THEM to fight Russia!]
"We support Ukraine so it can stop Russia. There wouldn't be peace, unless the old boundaries of Ukraine will be returned. The peace isn't capitulation of Ukraine. There should be negotiations."
"Things change and NOT in a good way. People should realize that."
"We're not living in a fiction. There is a risk of war. If Ukraine falls, we're be vulnerable. We should be ready and so we shouldn't let that happen."
"The only responsible for the current situation: the Kremlin regime. I KNOW my actions aren't popular. But they try to choose the defeat. And weakness.
"Today, choosing to stop supporting ukraine isn't choosing "a peace option". But that of defeat and weakness. It's not serious. Our (France) responsibility is to show example of a courage to the rest of Europe"
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A more nuanced translation is coming.
HAL TURNER Summarizing it in a sentence:
"We are not at war with Russia, but we cannot allow Russia to win."
------------------------- UPDATE 4:29 PM EDT
A very disappointing interview in my opinion. The 2 journalists could barely get a word in. Macron dodged the main questions.
Asked by ASL why he had not excluded the possibility of sending troops, EM replied that we are not yet in that situation. In his opinion Russia waged war on Ukraine and the objective is to not let Russia win.
EM said that HE decided to send weapons and tanks as he is in charge of national (French) security and a Russian victory would compromise French security. In his words, WE will not instigate war, the only responsible is the Kremlin.
Since the Ukraine counteroffensive has not gone as planned France is preparing operational troops… (but no definitive statement as to whether they will actually be deployed).
- Wanting peace is not necessarily choosing defeat.
Russia is an adversary and EU security is at risk in Ukraine. If Ukraine falls, EU security is compromised, since EU is limited in weapons production.
translator remarkWhat I brought away from this is that 1) Russia is to blame for everything and 2) France is looking out for itself.
The EU should rearm Ukraine and protect its borders e.g. with Biélorusse.
TRANSLATOR REMARK: Very disappointing. If anyone has a recording of the full interview I would be more than happy to give a full transcript (would take about 24 hours).
----------------------------- UPDATE 5:27 PM EDT --
"French intervention in Ukraine cannot be ruled out, and France will do everything to make sure Russia doesn't win. There is not a risk of war', there is war. A Russian victory in the Ukraine war is an existential threat to Europe and France. People who are against French troops being sent to Ukraine are against our sovereignity and are in favor of defeat"
