If Russian President Vladimir Putin – who invaded Ukraine in 2022 – is not stopped, “he will certainly continue for Moldova and possibly beyond for Romania,” Emmanuel Macron warned in interviews he gave to the French Sunday press on March 1, speaking, among other things, about the burning issue of Europe’s defense armor in the face of fears of an American disengagement. The possible “disengagement” of the United States from Ukraine “is not in their (the US) interest,” the French president stressed, because “what the US has done in the last three years is completely in line with its diplomatic and military tradition.”
If Washington agrees to “sign a ceasefire without providing any security guarantees for Ukraine,” then its “geostrategic deterrence capacity vis-à-vis Russia, China and others would disappear on the same day,” the French president argued. Reviving the discussion of a European nuclear umbrella to strengthen Europe’s security, Macron stressed that a strategic dialogue with European countries that do not possess nuclear weapons “would make France stronger.”
“We have a shield, they do not. And they can no longer depend on American nuclear deterrence. We need a strategic dialogue with those who do not have it, and that will make France stronger.” The French leader expressed hope that European Union member states would move quickly for “massive and common funding” of “hundreds of billions of euros” to build a common defense.
The 27 will meet in Brussels on Thursday for a summit. “We will mandate the European Commission to define the capability needs to build a common defense” because “we need to mobilise common funding of hundreds of billions of euros” and “quickly”. At the same time, he called on US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky to “show calm, respect and gratitude” after yesterday’s clash between the two at the White House that raised fears of a US withdrawal from Ukraine and a rupture between the Trump administration and its European allies.
“I think that beyond the irritation, everyone must return to calm, respect and gratitude, so that we can move forward concretely because what is at stake is very important.” Earlier in the day, the French president had telephone conversations with a number of leaders, including Zelensky and Trump, the French presidency announced.
Macron also spoke with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Council President Antonio Costa and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The talks were part of preparations for a summit of European allies in Kiev in London on Sunday, as well as an emergency EU summit on March 6, according to the Elysee. Macron gave interviews to the Tribune Dimanche, JDD, Le Parisien and Ouest-France newspapers.
