“We are not at war with Russia”but… In his speech on the invasion of Ukraine pronounced from the Elysee Palace on Wednesday March 2, Emmanuel Macron warned that, due to the series of sanctions decided against Moscow, “many economic sectors are suffering[aie]nt and [allaient] suffer, either because they depend on imports of raw materials from Russia or Ukraine, or because they export to these countries”.
The price of gasoline, gas, heating and raw materials being called upon to increase, the Head of State said that he has and will not have “just a compass » : “Protect yourself. “We will support the most exposed sectors by seeking new suppliers, new business opportunities,” he detailed, recalling having asked the Prime Minister, Jean Castex, to develop for the next few days a “economic and social resilience plan”.
A “change of time”
“But make no mistake, he added, these events will not only have immediate consequences [pour quelques semaines], they are the signal of a change of era” :
The war in Europe no longer belongs to our history books. (…) Democracy is no longer considered an indisputable regime, it is called into question before our eyes. Our freedom, that of our children, is no longer a given. It is more than ever a system of courage, a constant fight.
Faced with the challenge, the president intends “to amplify” investment in French defence, but it also intends to support the economy, research and innovation, in a “independence strategy” : “We can no longer depend on others, especially Russian gas. I will defend a strategy of European energy independence. » On this subject, Emmanuel Macron will bring together European heads of state and government on March 10 and 11 in Versailles.
The presidential campaign will take place
Less than forty days before the first round of the presidential election, “this war also comes to impact our democratic life and the campaign which officially opens at the end of this week”, noted Mr. Macron, who has still not officially declared himself a candidate for his own succession. “This campaign will allow an important democratic debate for the nation, but which will not prevent us from meeting on the essentials”, he said while several candidates declared to the Elysée deplore a debate evaded first by the health crisis, then by the war in Ukraine.
Regarding the humanitarian chapter, while “hundreds of thousands of refugees are fleeing to Moldova, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and gradually the rest of Europe”Emmanuel Macron reiterated that France “take his share” to welcome them.
As for the situation on the ground, he considered that “The days to come will probably be harder and harder” for the Ukrainian resistance. He addressed the President of the country, Volodymyr Zelenski, the “brotherly support from France”and again held Vladimir Putin solely responsible for the crisis: “It’s good alone, deliberately”, that this one “chose war”. “Russia is not attacked, it is the aggressor. (…) This war is the fruit of a spirit of revenge born of a revisionist reading of the history of Europe. »
Nevertheless, “I have chosen to remain in contact, and will remain in contact as much as I can and as much as necessary, with President Putin”, for “to prevent the widening and contagion of the conflict”, he said, taking care to distinguish the Russian leader from his people:
We are not at war with Russia, we all know what binds us to this great European people. We are today alongside all the Russians who, refusing that an unworthy war be waged in their name, have the spirit, the responsibility and the courage to defend peace and who make it known.