In a TV interview in Normandy, President Emmanuel Macron spoke about France’s future aid to Ukraine and expressed his concern about the rise of the extreme right in the EU elections.
Annastiina Heikkilä
PARIS
the president of France Emmanuel Macron France will send fighter jets to Ukraine and organize a pilot training program by the end of this year.
– Tomorrow, Friday, we will start a new cooperation and announce the handover of the Mirage 2000-5 planes, Macron said in a special interview he gave late Thursday evening.
France has so far refrained from sending fighter jets to Ukraine.
– We are also going to train and equip 4,500 Ukrainian soldiers, the president added.
Macron has not yet said whether French military trainers will be sent to Ukrainian soil. However, he said that it “should not be taboo”.
Macron will talk to Zelensky on Friday in Paris
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov commented this week that French military trainers arriving in Ukraine could end up targets of Russian attacks.
Macron meets the President of Ukraine to Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday in Paris. At that time, the presidents will discuss Ukraine’s needs and France’s plans in more detail.
Macron has not ruled out the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine, although other member countries of the military alliance NATO have not been willing to do so.
In a TV interview, Macron repeated that peace in Europe cannot mean the surrender of Ukraine.
– I fear that Russia will go even further in that case, the French president said.
Macron warned of the rise of the far right in Europe
Emmanuel Macron commented on the international situation on the evening of the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings in Caen.
Political opponents criticized Macron’s decision to give a TV interview just three days before EU elections and accused the president of harnessing the Normandy landings for EU election campaigning.
Macron defended himself by saying that speaking about the direction of Europe is necessary in this world situation.
– It is difficult for me to understand why talking about the significance of the EU elections would not be part of my role as president, Macron said.
A landslide victory is predicted for the far-right National Alliance
The French president urged all French people to vote and warned that European politics could come to a standstill if far-right parties get a big electoral victory.
– Citizens must wake up to the fact that we need Europe. It’s not worth sending people who don’t believe in it to the EU Parliament, Macron said.
According to opinion polls, the far-right National Alliance party would clearly win the European elections in France. A 32 percent share of the vote has been predicted for the party, and about 15 percent support for Macron’s center-right electoral alliance.
Macron refused to speculate on what consequences the far-right’s electoral victory would have on French politics.
– I don’t believe in polls, I believe in elections, the French president said.