In a video broadcast on Telegram by a journalist, Thursday March 7, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov estimated that Emmanuel Macron is increasing “the direct involvement of France” in the conflict in Ukraine, after his comments not ruling out sending Western troops there.
Mr. Peskov nevertheless noted the character ” contradictory “ declarations made in Paris on this subject since Emmanuel Macron’s first remarks. “On the one hand, Mr. Macron is starting to discuss the possibility of sending military contingents to the war in Ukraine. On the other hand, the French foreign minister categorically denies the possibility of sending such contingents.added the Kremlin representative, according to the Russian news agency Interfaxbefore asserting that“there is a very active intra-French and intra-European debate”.
At the end of a conference in support of Ukraine on February 26 in Paris, the President of the French Republic declared: “There is no consensus today to send ground troops in an official, assumed and endorsed manner, but, dynamically, nothing must be excluded. » Despite the embarrassment of France’s allies, Mr. Macron called them on Tuesday from Prague to “not to be cowardly” facing Russia “became unstoppable”. For Dmitri Peskov, “Mr Macron is convinced of his policy of wanting to inflict a strategic defeat on our country and he continues to increase the level of direct involvement of France”.
Threats from Vladimir Putin
Mr. Macron’s unilateral statement aroused agitation among France’s allies within NATO, most of whom immediately rejected such a possibility, while the French president also attracted criticism from the opposition in France. Despite the controversy, Mr. Macron then assured that all his words were “weighed” And ” measures “while ensuring that it refuses any “escalation logic” with Moscow.
Vladimir Putin himself returned to the French president’s comments, without quoting him directly, during his speech to the nation on February 29, stating: “ We remember the fate of those who have already sent their contingents to the territory of our country, but today the consequences for possible interventions will be much more tragic. »