Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian returned on Friday, February 18 on LCI, to the withdrawal of French troops from Mali, responded to the presidential candidates who sharply criticized this departure and took stock of the situation in Ukraine.
Questioned in duplex from Brussels, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian first spoke about the withdrawal of French troops from Mali, an event “which is not only a withdrawal but a rearticulation of our effort and combat against terrorism”, adding, in a friendly nod to his former boss: “the objectives set by François Hollande in 2013, at the request of Mali, are on the way to being achieved. »
According to Jean-Yves Le Drian, France has fulfilled its role of anti-Daesh policeman and it is only because the military junta has taken power in Mali that the troops have left the territory: “There is a change agenda from one of the African countries, namely Mali, which, moreover, is ostracized from the rest of the other African countries. Not a single one supports Mali, with this junta which has confiscated power and wants to take the people hostage”.
“But does this withdrawal mark the end of operations in Africa? then took over Elizabeth Martichoux. On this, the minister was more vague, declaring that France, and Europe, will continue to fight Al-Qaeda and Daesh, who want to “make Africa their priority area of action” by supporting the authorities. African. If this answer seems, at first glance, rather evasive, Jean-Yves Le Drian nevertheless specified that France was going to “be more in support of the African forces, it is the new deal and the good contract which has been signed. Even more diplomacy, then?
“Everything is possible ; invasion or diplomacy”
This withdrawal was strongly criticized by the candidates for the presidential election, in particular by Jean-Luc Mélenchon who spoke of “disaster” and “overwhelming record”. The Minister replied curtly: “Mr. Mélenchon should think carefully about the commitments made by the SERVAL and Barkane operations. It was a question of preventing these countries from becoming caliphates”, and closed the subject with: “the analysis of the situation should be less controversial, insofar as what is at stake is both the solidity of States, the fight against terrorism and the new partnerships that Europe wants to establish with Africa: a new deal that respects everyone’s sovereignty. »
Then came the most tense, the most dreaded subject: Ukraine. While Russia is bombing the east of the country, Jean-Yves Le Drian explained that “we had to keep our eyes open, not react to the information of the day which changes the next day” while admitting that ‘ “today you need cold blood and reality: everything is possible; invasion or diplomacy. »
What about the United States, Vladimir Putin? “We exchange letters […] you will have to sit around a table for a while. It’s up to Putin to know what he wants: for Russia to be an unbalanced and disturbing power or for us to be able to discuss long-term security guarantees in Europe, for the Russians as well as for the Europeans. »
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