MACRON UKRAINE. Emmanuel Macron spoke on Wednesday March 2 to take stock of the conflict in Ukraine and assure the French of his action to “protect” them from the consequences of the war. Summary and video of the speech…
He called on the French to stand up to the war in Ukraine. In a solemn address broadcast on television this Wednesday, March 2, 2022, Emmanuel Macron assured that he would do everything to “protect” them from the consequences of the conflict, acknowledging that this crisis had “hit” the presidential campaign 39 days before the election. The Head of State declared that France “stands” alongside Ukraine, seven days after the start of the Russian invasion that “we have done everything to avoid”. He welcomed the fact that France and its allies had “quickly and proportionately taken sanctions against Russia” while affirming that “we are not at war with Russia”.
Emmanuel Macron’s speech lasted about fifteen minutes and thus remained essentially focused on the war in Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron has in no way changed France’s position in the conflict, but a few announcements are worth noting:
- About Ukraine, Emmanuel Macron addressed to President Volodymyr Zelensky “the fraternal support of France”. “Russia is not attacked, it is the aggressor”, launched the head of state, hammering that “there are no troops or NATO bases in Ukraine”. “This war is the fruit of a spirit of revenge born from a revisionist reading of history,” he added. Regarding the situation on the ground, Emmanuel Macron was content to say that “the Russian forces are besieging the most important cities” of the country and that “the days to come will probably be harder and harder”.
- On Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron has above all justified his action in recent weeks. “I tried to keep a constant dialogue and to propose alternatives”, he said about his exchanges with the Russian president who, according to him, chose this war “alone, deliberately”, ” reneging one by one on the commitments made to the international community”. But Emmanuel Macron nevertheless assures him: “I have chosen to stay in contact and will stay in contact as much as I can and as much as necessary, with President Putin, to avoid the contagion of the conflict”.
- On France’s commitment, Emmanuel Macron recalled that “several hundred French soldiers arrived yesterday on Romanian soil”. However, “there are no NATO troops or bases in Ukraine”, he repeated. French aid is also evident in the reception of refugees: “Several hundred thousand refugees from Ukraine are and will be welcomed on our continent. France will play its part”. Finally, the Head of State believes that European defense must “take a new step”. A summit will take place in Versailles on March 10 and 11 in this regard.
- On Russia, Emmanuel Macron does not want war “We are not at war with Russia. We all know what binds us to this great European people that is the Russian people, who sacrificed so much during the Second World War to save Europe”, insisted on clarify the president, opposed to the idea of becoming a belligerent in this conflict. The reaction will therefore remain economic: “The assets of several hundred Russian personalities close to power have thus been frozen in France, several large Russian banks have been excluded from international systems, making a number of transactions impossible, leading to the fall of the rouble”.
Emmanuel Macron’s speech on Wednesday March 2, 2022 was the third official speech by the Head of State on the Ukrainian crisis. From the start of the conflict Emmanuel Macron spoke, first in a very brief speech on February 24, then the next day on the sidelines of an extraordinary European Council.
Emmanuel Macron’s message was read a few hours after speaking on the sidelines of an extraordinary European Council. In his morning speech of February 25, Emmanuel Macron recalled that by unleashing a war in Europe, Vladimir Putin “flouts[e] all the principles that govern international law, charters and treaties sovereignly signed by Russia in recent decades”. He also reaffirmed the unity and support of Europe and the European Union for Ukraine in this ordeal Economic aid of 1.2 billion euros, financed by France to the tune of 300 million, will be sent to Kiev as support, in addition to military reinforcements at the borders. ‘shipment’ to Estonia [d’]a new contingent within the enhanced forward presence, [l’anticipation] its participation in the Baltic Sky Police from the month of March, and [l’accélération de] its deployment in Romania”.
Vladimir Putin announced on the night of February 23 and 24, 2022 the launch of a military operation in Ukraine. In his speech delivered on February 24, of less than four minutes, Emmanuel Macron spoke of a “massive military attack” which “contravenes all the commitments made by the Russian authorities” and constitutes “a violation of the Charter of Nations- Nations as well as the founding principles of the European and international order”. The President of the Republic strongly condemned the Kremlin’s choice to start a war and thus “bring the most serious attack on peace and stability in our Europe for decades”.
France takes the side of Ukraine and the Elysée affirmed to stand alongside the leaders and the Ukrainian people in this ordeal. Whatever the evolution of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, these events mark “a turning point in the history of Europe and our country. They will have lasting, profound consequences on our lives, consequences on the geopolitics of our continents “said the head of state, in a serious tone. He promises to hold Russia “to account”.