French President Emmanuel Macron told a French channel that Europe must consider how to give security guarantees to Russia returning to the negotiating table.
French president Emmanuel Macron confused the international community on Saturday with his speech about the security guarantees given to Russia. On Saturday, Macron gave an interview to the French TV channel TF1 during his visit to the United States.
In the interview, the president reflected on Europe’s future security architecture and also highlighted the Russian president Vladimir Putin military alliance of concern about the expansion of NATO.
“This is one of the topics of discussion to get peace, so we have to prepare what we are ready to do, how we protect our allies and our member countries, and how we give guarantees to Russia the day it returns to the negotiating table,” Macron said.
Macron’s the speech was contradictory, but it was also taken out of its context, says the research doctor of the Foreign Policy Institute, who is familiar with French foreign policy Iro Sarkkä.
Iro Sarkkä.
“In the next sentence, Macron stated that you can only go to the negotiating table when Ukraine is ready and only on Ukraine’s terms,” says Särkkä.
Särkkä believes that Macron’s real concern is related to the central position of the United States in security discussions about Europe. The French president spoke a lot about, among other things, the European defense industry and its rights to Europe’s future security architecture.
Macron is likely to worry that Europe – and France in particular – will be sidelined if the US and Russia start discussing the future of post-war Europe among themselves.
“I interpreted that Macron is trying to promote the position of France and Europe at future negotiating tables, when peace is negotiated in due course. France wants to be a counter force to the United States, and Macron, in the French way, strives to take the role of European leadership.”
Macron had one-on-one talks with Putin even before Russia invaded Ukraine in February. According to Särkä, it is typical in France to think that major powers discuss foreign policy issues bilaterally.
“France is not a great power, but it sees itself as a medium-sized power with global interests. It aims to take a leading role in promoting European defense architecture.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron met in Moscow on February 7. Russia launched its major invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
For example, calling the European political community together in October was a clear attempt by Macron to unite European countries in the midst of a difficult world political situation, Särkkä points out.
Macron’s main goal is in line with NATO’s goals. Macron wants Europe to be active in defining its defense architecture, and NATO also hopes that the member countries of the military alliance will take responsibility for their own security.
However, there are countries in Europe and NATO that interpret the security situation in very different ways. According to Särkä, Macron’s comment was an indication that even short statements can be dangerous if they leave questions unanswered.
They are not suitable for increasing the European unity that Macron is aiming for.
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