(Paris) Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic efforts were not enough. After struggling to save the peace, the President of the Republic must now condemn a war that is taking place at the gates of the European Union.
Like most of his European counterparts, the French head of state spoke on Thursday to denounce Russia’s “massive” military attack on Ukraine.
Filmed in front of flags of France, Ukraine and the European Union, he declared in a televised speech that the operation launched by Vladimir Putin “causes the most serious attack on peace and stability in our Europe for decades”.
PHOTO LUDOVIC MARIN, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
The President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, denounced in a televised speech the operation launched by Vladimir Putin.
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With a serious face, he added that this attack constituted a “turning point in the history of Europe” and of France, without hiding his concern at the sequence of events.
Reaffirming his support for Ukraine, he brandished the threat of imminent sanctions from France, the G7 and other EU member countries, which were to meet in Brussels on Thursday.
“We will be without weaknesses, both militarily and in terms of energy”, he insisted, adding that Russia will have to “be accountable to the Security Council”.
Candidates react
Candidates for the presidential election – whose first round is scheduled for April 10 in France – also reacted to the attack launched by Moscow.
Socialist Anne Hidalgo denounced a “brutal and criminal act”, while ecologist Yannick Jadot condemned this “unprecedented aggression since the Second World War”.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon for his part deplored an “initiative of pure violence showing a desire for power without measure”, alarming himself at the risks of “generalized conflict”.
PHOTO CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Jean-Luc Meéenchon, candidate of rebellious France for the French presidential election
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Same discourse among far-right candidates, Éric Zemmour and Marine Le Pen, who have never hidden their affinities with Vladimir Poutine.
Operating a spectacular 180 degree turn, Zemmour condemned “without reservation” the Russian attack, which he considers “unjustifiable”, only five days after displaying his “skepticism” in the face of this scenario.
Same about-face at Marine Le Pen, who called for “the immediate cessation of Russian military operations in Ukraine”, after flirting with the head of the Kremlin during the 2017 presidential campaign.
Russia Today, propagande russe
Rare discordant note in this concert of criticism, the former LR presidential candidate, François Fillon, seemed to reject the responsibility for the events on the West.
“For 10 years, I have warned against the refusal of Westerners to take into account Russian claims on the expansion of NATO. This attitude is now leading to a dangerous confrontation that could have been avoided,” said Fillon, who has sat on the board of directors of Sibur… a Russian petrochemical giant since December.
Direct consequence of the Russian attack in Ukraine: the television channel RT (Russia Today) could also be banned in France.
Senator Laurent Lafon, chairman of the Culture and Communications Committee, on Thursday demanded the suspension of the Kremlin-funded media outlet, describing it as an “official body in France for the propaganda of the Russian regime”.
PHOTO KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, ARCHIVES AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
The television channel RT (Russia Today) could be banned in France.
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There are precedents. On Wednesday, the British government asked for a reassessment of the license granted to the British branch of RT, while Germany outright banned the channel on its territory in early February. A gesture to which Moscow had responded by closing the German channel Deutsche Welle in Russia.
Impact on the campaign?
This is the first time in the history of the Ve Republic that an armed conflict breaks out in Europe during a presidential campaign.
PHOTO SARAH MEYSSONNIER, REUTERS
People gathered in Place de la République in Paris on Thursday to denounce the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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In recent days, Emmanuel Macron had tried by all means to avoid the conflict by playing mediators. Will his diplomatic failure be held against him? Already at the beginning of the week, his opponents did not fail to underline the naivety and the lack of results in the Ukrainian file in the man who has still not officially announced his candidacy.
“But that was before it broke,” says Jean Petaux.
According to the political scientist, the events of Thursday will rather lead to a “ceasefire” within the French political debate about Vladimir Putin.
The reason is simple: we do not oppose the president during a serious international crisis, because he “represents the interest of France, of national sovereignty, and that would amount to weakening France”. It is like that, he says: “Necessity makes law. »
On the contrary, Jean Petaux believes that the war in Ukraine could favor Macron, who has shown determination in his de-escalation efforts, as head of the French state and as temporary president of the European Union.
Will it also complicate the campaign of Le Pen and Zemmour, for the reasons mentioned above? The expert doubts it and leans rather for a general “neutralization” of behavior.
“Everyone has had relations with the Kremlin. Macron as a candidate. Marine Le Pen as candidate. But no one has an interest in mobilizing past attitudes towards Putin”, in a context where the “sacred union” must be privileged.
Given the gravity of the events, the campaign is in danger of being muted for a few days anyway… before taking off again, we presume, with the official candidacy of Macron, whose announcement is scheduled for the end of next week. .
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Jean-Christophe Laurence
The Press
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(Paris) Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic efforts were not enough. After struggling to save the peace, the President of the Republic must now condemn a war that is taking place at the gates of the European Union.
Like most of his European counterparts, the French head of state spoke on Thursday to denounce Russia’s “massive” military attack on Ukraine.
Filmed in front of flags of France, Ukraine and the European Union, he declared in a televised speech that the operation launched by Vladimir Putin “causes the most serious attack on peace and stability in our Europe for decades”.
PHOTO LUDOVIC MARIN, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
The President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, denounced in a televised speech the operation launched by Vladimir Putin.
–
With a serious face, he added that this attack constituted a “turning point in the history of Europe” and of France, without hiding his concern at the sequence of events.
Reaffirming his support for Ukraine, he brandished the threat of imminent sanctions from France, the G7 and other EU member countries, which were to meet in Brussels on Thursday.
“We will be without weaknesses, both militarily and in terms of energy”, he insisted, adding that Russia will have to “be accountable to the Security Council”.
Candidates react
Candidates for the presidential election – whose first round is scheduled for April 10 in France – also reacted to the attack launched by Moscow.
Socialist Anne Hidalgo denounced a “brutal and criminal act”, while ecologist Yannick Jadot condemned this “unprecedented aggression since the Second World War”.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon for his part deplored an “initiative of pure violence showing a desire for power without measure”, alarming himself at the risks of “generalized conflict”.
PHOTO CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Jean-Luc Meéenchon, candidate of rebellious France for the French presidential election
–
Same discourse among far-right candidates, Éric Zemmour and Marine Le Pen, who have never hidden their affinities with Vladimir Poutine.
Operating a spectacular 180 degree turn, Zemmour condemned “without reservation” the Russian attack, which he considers “unjustifiable”, only five days after displaying his “skepticism” in the face of this scenario.
Same about-face at Marine Le Pen, who called for “the immediate cessation of Russian military operations in Ukraine”, after flirting with the head of the Kremlin during the 2017 presidential campaign.
Russia Today, propagande russe
Rare discordant note in this concert of criticism, the former LR presidential candidate, François Fillon, seemed to reject the responsibility for the events on the West.
“For 10 years, I have warned against the refusal of Westerners to take into account Russian claims on the expansion of NATO. This attitude is now leading to a dangerous confrontation that could have been avoided,” said Fillon, who has sat on the board of directors of Sibur… a Russian petrochemical giant since December.
Direct consequence of the Russian attack in Ukraine: the television channel RT (Russia Today) could also be banned in France.
Senator Laurent Lafon, chairman of the Culture and Communications Committee, on Thursday demanded the suspension of the Kremlin-funded media outlet, describing it as an “official body in France for the propaganda of the Russian regime”.
PHOTO KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, ARCHIVES AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
The television channel RT (Russia Today) could be banned in France.
–
There are precedents. On Wednesday, the British government asked for a reassessment of the license granted to the British branch of RT, while Germany outright banned the channel on its territory in early February. A gesture to which Moscow had responded by closing the German channel Deutsche Welle in Russia.
Impact on the campaign?
This is the first time in the history of the Ve Republic that an armed conflict breaks out in Europe during a presidential campaign.
PHOTO SARAH MEYSSONNIER, REUTERS
People gathered in Place de la République in Paris on Thursday to denounce the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
–
In recent days, Emmanuel Macron had tried by all means to avoid the conflict by playing mediators. Will his diplomatic failure be held against him? Already at the beginning of the week, his opponents did not fail to underline the naivety and the lack of results in the Ukrainian file in the man who has still not officially announced his candidacy.
“But that was before it broke,” says Jean Petaux.
According to the political scientist, the events of Thursday will rather lead to a “ceasefire” within the French political debate about Vladimir Putin.
The reason is simple: we do not oppose the president during a serious international crisis, because he “represents the interest of France, of national sovereignty, and that would amount to weakening France”. It is like that, he says: “Necessity makes law. »
On the contrary, Jean Petaux believes that the war in Ukraine could favor Macron, who has shown determination in his de-escalation efforts, as head of the French state and as temporary president of the European Union.
Will it also complicate the campaign of Le Pen and Zemmour, for the reasons mentioned above? The expert doubts it and leans rather for a general “neutralization” of behavior.
“Everyone has had relations with the Kremlin. Macron as a candidate. Marine Le Pen as candidate. But no one has an interest in mobilizing past attitudes towards Putin”, in a context where the “sacred union” must be privileged.
Given the gravity of the events, the campaign is in danger of being muted for a few days anyway… before taking off again, we presume, with the official candidacy of Macron, whose announcement is scheduled for the end of next week. .
–
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