France's Macron calls for restraint in words and actions regarding Ukraine conflict
French President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he speaks to the media after European Union leaders' summit, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Brussels, Belgium, March 25, 2022. REUTERS/Johanna Geron
PARIS, March 27 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron called for restraint in both words and actions in dealing with the Ukraine conflict, after U.S. President Joe Biden described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "butcher" and said he should not remain in power.
"I wouldn't use this type of wording because I continue to hold discussions with President Putin," Macron said on France 3 TV channel.
Biden, speaking in Warsaw, had said that Putin "cannot remain in power". A White House official later said Biden's remarks did not represent a shift in Washington's policy and were meant to prepare the world's democracies for an extended conflict, not back regime change in Russia. read more
"We want to stop the war that Russia has launched in Ukraine without escalation -- that's the objective," Macron said on France 3 TV, noting the objective was to obtain a cease fire and the withdrawal of troops through diplomatic means.
"If this is what we want to do, we should not escalate things -- neither with words nor actions," he said.
The French president on Friday had said he was seeking to hold more talks with President Putin in the coming days regarding the situation in Ukraine as well as an initiative to help people leave the besieged city of Mariupol.
President Putin sent his troops into Ukraine on what he calls a "special military operation" to demilitarise and "denazify" Ukraine. Ukraine and the West say Putin launched an unprovoked war of aggression.
Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said she backed Macron's approach.
"Obviously, those are words that add oil to the fire," she said, when asked about Biden's comment.
"The fact that the president of the Republic is not entering into this escalation is a good thing," she said, speaking on France 3 in a pre-recorded interview that was broadcast on Sunday.
These French roosters see clearly & cleanly where their interest lies.
ReplyDeleteWhereas the Yankee bald eagles know very well where their interests r.
The unfortunate part is these interests r dipolar - one wants the war to end as quick as possible while the other wants it to prolong until its aims r achieved!
Thus, the unwarranted provocation coming out from a 'leader' of the 'free' world!
At every point during this months-long, nay, years-long crisis, Russia's Putin has repeatedly Out-Escalated everyone else, leaving other nations to self-deter themselves out of fear of "provoking" Putin.
ReplyDeleteUSA some years ago sent Javelin missiles to Ukraine, but on condition they had to be stored away in the Western side of Ukraine, not to be distributed, to avoid "provoking" Russia.
In December 2021, Biden held up shipments of weapons to Ukraine, again to avoid "provoking" Russia.
Even Zelensky made a huge strategic blunder refusing to mobilise the Ukrainian Armed Forces, right until the point Russia began its war - to avoid "provoking" Russia. This in spite of US intelligence for weeks beforehand, correctly predicting that Russia was about to begin its invasion.
The road from Belarus to Kyiv was undefended , again, to avoid "provoking" Russia. Only the heroic efforts of Ukrainian Army small units blunted the Russian advance on Kyiv, at great cost to themselves.
At one point Zelensky even said Washington's statements were more dangerous than Russia , again , to avoid "provoking" Russia.
Sleepy Joe Biden probably made his Putin "cannot remain in power" statement in error, unintentionally, without actually meaning it.
But this is a rare "Good Error"....let Russia , for once, be the one to guess whether any real escalation from Washington is coming.
U know about geopolitical provocation, mfer?
DeleteHave u ever understand the frustration of been ignored, sidelined after repeated outwardly complaints?
NO. U don't when it involved yr uncle Sam!
The five infringements of that promised non eastward expansion by NATO since the dissolution of SU have worn out anyone's patience!
The hostile rejections of Russia joining NATO/EU make the geopolitics of Europe very clear to Putin - Russia can never be an equal in the eyes of the Europeans hand-leashed by US!
Thus the new tagline of Putin - if u don't want to play fairly with me then don't expect me to play fairly with u!