In France, unlike other European states, they never wanted to “defeat” Russia, and such a position will never be supported. This was announced on February 18 by French President Emmanuel Macron in a joint interview with three French publications.
“I do not think, like some, that it is necessary to completely crush Russia, to attack her on her territory. These observers, above all, want the defeat of Russia. France has never taken and never will take such a position, ”the French leader is quoted as saying. Le Journal du Dimanche.
As French journalists explained, by the definition of “observers”, the President of France meant the countries of Eastern Europe that are members of NATO and the European Union (EU), which previously did not like his words that “Russia must not be humiliated.”
At the same time, Macron added that the NATO member states could not clearly explain their intentions and goals to Russia. According to the President of France, the North Atlantic Alliance was not “a suitable tool for rethinking relations with Russia, and its members could not clearly explain their intentions to her, which was regarded by Moscow as expansionism,” which started the conflict in Ukraine.
In turn, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said on February 19 that the words of the French leader that France never wanted to defeat Russia, unlike other Eastern European countries, have no logical justification. The diplomat reminded that saying “never” in this case is inappropriate, since France did not start with Macron. He added that the remains of Napoleon, revered at the state level, rest today in the center of Paris.
Earlier, on February 17, Macron, in his speech at the Munich Security Conference, said that the European Union should find strength and courage in order to build a dialogue with Russia, but the right moment for this has not yet come. According to him, peace in Europe is impossible without dialogue with Russia.
At the same time, on February 10, the French president also announced that he could strip Russian leader Vladimir Putin of the title of Chevalier Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at the same time that this decision would not be a problem for Putin. The press secretary of the President of Russia added that the head of state has completely different priority issues.
Western countries have stepped up military and financial support for Ukraine against the backdrop of a Russian special operation to protect Donbass. The decision was made by Russian President Vladimir Putin against the background of the aggravation of the situation in the region as a result of shelling by Ukrainian forces.
For more up-to-date videos and details about the situation in Donbass, watch the Izvestia TV channel.
