The National Rally, on the other hand, is firmly opposed to it, believing that it would risk “internationalising” the conflict.
“Nothing is excluded.Sunday evening, Emmanuel Macron raised the possibility of delivering Leclerc heavy battle tanks to Ukraine, in its military fight against Russia. The Head of State set three conditions:that this is not escalatory», «that this can provide real and effective support” in the country, and that this does not have consequences on “our own defense capabilities“. The new strategy, after eleven months of conflict, is greeted with caution by the French political class.
It is for the former Prime Minister now a member of Horizons, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, a “way“in which France is now”engaged“. Because “it is clear that the Ukrainians are asking us today to establish their balance of power.“But it must be done”with responsibility with other partners“warned the partner of the majority on the set of LCI. “It is Europe together that must act, so we must not have an individual position“, he warned. Also recalling thatthat doesn’t mean we don’t want to talk to Russia.» «The day when we will be able to build a peace project, we will have to speak with Russia.»
SEE ALSO – Delivery of Leclerc tanks to Ukraine: “Nothing is excluded”, assures Emmanuel Macron
“Make this war worse”
On France Inter on Sunday evening, the Macronist deputy Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade also called for “accompany our German partners on this path, by creating consensus“. Chancellor Olaf Scholz is indeed still reluctant, although his Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, has deemed his country ready to do so. These deliveries are howeverthe sine qua non to beat Russia“, estimated the chosen one.
On the left, the deputy La France insoumise Alexis Corbière did not close himself to this possibility, while being very cautious. According to him, this must be done “in such a way that it is material aid, but not participation in the conflict“. “I hope that we do not fall into a spiral in which, on arrival, we are ourselves one of the first protagonists of a war“, he formulated on Public Senate, repeating his desire to see the countries “take diplomatic initiatives“. A few days earlier, the communist Fabien Roussel had called for a debate in Parliament on France’s strategy in this conflict and the shipment of heavy weapons.
Read alsoWar in Ukraine: the three French conditions for delivering Leclerc tanks to kyiv
On the other hand, the tone was much firmer on the side of the nationalist right. “No“, very simply replied Marine Le Pen, questioned on the relevance of this decision this Monday on RMC / BFMTV. “I think that really the question is, isn’t this all going to make this war worse? And when the war escalates, the deaths multiply. But is that the goal?“, she then questioned. The leader of RN deputies warns of the risk of “internationalize the conflict“, and of “move away from a negotiated peace solution“.
SEE ALSO – “No other solution” than sending heavy tanks to Ukraine, says Zelensky