What is France’s position after the outbreak of war in Ukraine and the deployment of armed forces by Russia? What can France do, what are the sanctions announced, is there military aid given to Ukraine? Here are the first answers.
Emmanuel Macron has affirmed several times since the beginning of the crisis between Ukraine and Russia of his support for Ukraine and its regime, a support reaffirmed on February 24 a few hours after the announcement of the Russian military operation in Ukraine. But concretely, what is France doing against Russia after its offensive in Ukraine, which began on Thursday February 24 and which saw Russian armed forces deployed to the east in the Donbass, to the south from Crimea and to the north from the Belarus to Kiev? Here are some answers.
Does France have an obligation to help Ukraine?
Ukraine is not a member of NATO and France has no formal duty to come to its aid militarily as it can with its allies. For several weeks, however, France had been on the front line in trying to secure a diplomatic agreement, a position symbolized in itself by Emmanuel Macron’s highly publicized and scripted visit to Moscow on Monday February 7, a visit marked by the famous photo of the French president and Vladimir Putin seated at a very great distance on a gigantic table in the Kremlin. Vladimir Putin’s announcement and the attack that followed in the early hours of February 24, only two and a half weeks after this visit, therefore appear as a warning shot and a relative snub for French diplomacy, especially in this period when France holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union.
What was France’s reaction after the start of the war in Ukraine?
From the first hours of the attack, Emmanuel Macron reacted vigorously, first on his Twitter account (“France strongly condemns Russia’s decision to wage war on Ukraine. Russia must immediately put an end to its military operations”), then during an “address to the French” at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, February 24. “To this act of war, we will respond without weakness, with composure, determination and unity”, assured the French president in particular before showing his solidarity with the Ukrainian people, saluting his “courage” and his “determination”. Emmanuel Macron has promised sanctions against Russia, sanctions which have yet to be decided with European partners, but which should be of an economic nature, a field on which France has some tricks up its sleeve while exposing itself too to Russian sanctions. One thinks in particular of the supply of gas, Russia being one of the main suppliers of gas to the European Union.
What penalties?
The European Union has already announced two waves of sanctions on February 24 and 25, 2022. These must affect the Russian economic system, its assets abroad but also its imports and supplies of electronic and strategic materials, known as “crucial technologies by the EU. Personalities close to Vladimir Putin will also see their assets frozen in Europe and access to the EU prohibited. Belarus, an ally of Russia, will also be affected by additional sanctions.
French soldiers in Ukraine? Weapons ?
No French soldier is engaged on the Ukrainian ground. Ukraine is not part of NATO and France does not have a mutual assistance agreement. On the other hand, France has already announced the reinforcement of its military presence in Romania, a neighboring country and a member of NATO. Several members of the GIGN are present on Ukrainian soil, responsible for ensuring the protection of the French ambassador in Kiev. France has also confirmed the payment of aid to Ukraine. 1.2 billion euros in aid was to be provided by the EU, with France contributing 300 million euros according to the Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire on February 25, 2022. “We will grant aid budget of 330 million euros [à l’Ukraine]we are in contact to provide them with the defensive equipment they need“, then detailed the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron in his message addressed to Parliament and read on Friday, February 25. We must ensure unity with our European partners and our allies to protect our sovereignty, our security and our democracies.”