Image: Emmanuel Macron Baron Eric De Rothschild
Image: David De Rothschild Brigitte Macro
Macron In Anti-Russia Rant Says France Considering Expanding Nuclear Umbrella To Europe
In the opening six months of the Ukraine-Russia war, France's President Emmanuel Macron came under fire in Europe for being one of the few major political leaders to hold regular diplomatic calls with Putin in an effort to solve the conflict and avoid further bloodshed in Eastern Europe.
Now he feels he has to go full hawk in response to US President Trump, as on Wednesday in a nationally televised address he claimed Putin is now threatening all of Europe and has declared, dubiously, that Russian aggression "knows no borders."
"We are entering a new era," he told his fellow countrymen in the address. "If a country can invade its neighbour in Europe and go unpunished, nobody can be sure of anything." That's when he asserted: "Beyond Ukraine, the Russian threat is real - it affects the European countries."
Macron pulled out all the stops, and appears to be making himself into the European version of Russia's Medvedev, going maximal no limits jingoism. "President Putin is violating our borders to assassinate opponents, manipulate elections," he claimed in the remarks.
"We need to prepare," the French president said, amid a broader European push to 'fill the gap' in the wake of President Trump suspending all US arms shipments to Kiev, as well as intelligence-sharing. On Sunday during a London security conference of European leaders, UK PM Kier Starmer presented a plan of up to 30,000 UK peacekeeping troops for Ukraine, supported by France.
"I want to believe that the US will stand by our side, but we have to be ready for that not to be the case," Macron said in reference to shifting Washington policy.
And Macron then claimed, "France has to recognize its special status - we have the most efficient, effective army in Europe," adding that France has nuclear weapons to provide to the broader Western alliance if called upon.
Addressing where funds for a new European defense without US backing might originate, he explained "These are new investments which will allow us to mobilize private financing and public financing without increases in tax" - also as German parties agreed this week to a historic debt overhaul to revamp military and economy.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/macron-hawkish-anti-russia-rant-says-france-considering-expanding-nuclear-umbrella
It's scared