After speaking with Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday December 7 on the occasion of the reopening of Notre-Dame, French President Emmanuel Macron went to Warsaw this Thursday morning to meet with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. On the agenda for discussions, European support for Ukraine and options for exiting the conflict.
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With our correspondent in Warsaw, Adrien Sarlat
The Polish Prime Minister and the French President recalled their common vision on a solution to be brought together – with European partners and the Ukrainians – to Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron and Donald Tusk even spoke this Thursday, December 12 of peace with and for the Ukrainians, excluding any negotiations in their absence. “ If you allow me, dear friend, I want to take this opportunity to put an end to speculation about a possible military presence of any foreign country in Ukraine after the signing of the peace », Affirms Donald Tusk to Emmanuel Macron.
“ We are fully aligned to have this support for Ukraine, for the Ukrainians in this important phase, even as the Russian attacks continue. We also have a very common vision to say that only a lasting peace is the possible peace, that is to say a peace which is negotiated by the Ukrainians and which allows them to have long-term security solutions. “, declared the French president.
The United States of America will play a role in the coming weeks and months. But the Trump administration has indicated its desire precisely to try to change the direction of this conflict and we must therefore work very closely with the Americans, with obviously Ukraine, to find a possible path that takes into account the interests of Ukraine, its sovereignty and the interests of Europeans and their security.
French President Emmanuel Macron in Warsaw
“ Develop a European Defense industrial base »
Emmanuel Macron hammered it home, this peace will only be possible if Europe takes charge of its own security. The two heads of state and government also recalled their common position on numerous challenges and on numerous European subjects, in particular defense issues, with the idea mentioned by Emmanuel Macron of developing a European defense base to reduce the dependence of the continent on its American ally, since Donald Trump has already announced that he is considering reduce American aid to NATO and to Ukraine.
“ Europeans obviously still need to strengthen their investments in this area, but also invest to develop a European Defense industrial base and reduce our strategic independence, and I know how much your great Defense nation shares this desire. », assures Emmanuel Macron.
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Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the Poland is already showing the way to its European allies by devoting more than 4% of its GDP to military spending each year. France and Poland are expected to sign a new cooperation treaty in Nancy next March.
In Warsaw, the French president also returned to the role that Poland would have to play as president of theEuropean Union from January 1st. Finally, the common position on Mercosur was also a subject discussed, since the two countries are the leading figures in the opposition to this treaty, which would endanger both Polish and French farmers.
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