Emmanuel Macron thinks Moscow must lose its war of aggression against Ukraine. However, he does not wish for the annihilation of Russia. “That has never been France’s position and never will be,” said the President.
French President Emmanuel Macron wants Russia to be “defeated” in Ukraine, but not for Russia to be “annihilated.” “I want Russia to be defeated in Ukraine and I want Ukraine to be able to defend its position, but I am convinced that in the end it will not be decided militarily,” Macron said in a Saturday in French newspapers ” Journal du Dimanche” and “Le Figaro” as well as interviews published by France Inter.
Macron also said he assumes that neither Ukraine nor Russia can fully win the conflict. “I don’t think, like some, that Russia should be completely defeated and attacked on its soil,” said the French president. According to Macron, such people “wanted above all to destroy Russia. That was never France’s position and it never will be.”
Macron had already said at the Munich Security Conference on Friday that Russia must “fail” in Ukraine. It is currently “not the time for dialogue” with Moscow. Russia “chose war” and went so far as to commit war crimes, he explained.
Negotiations could only take place under conditions that “Ukraine chooses,” Macron said. Kiev’s allies must “give Ukraine the means” to return to the negotiating table, he said. “We must intensify our support” to enable a Ukrainian “counteroffensive,” the president demanded. “If Ukraine is to defend Europe, it must also have the weapons to do so.”
