Emmanuel Macron signaled “a new era” for Europe and condemned Russian actions
In a televised speech, Wednesday evening addressed the French people, Emmanuel Macron, President of France promised that he will keep contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Macron strongly condemned Russian aggression and supported the Ukrainian people, warning of a “new era” for Europe as a whole, and announced possible protective measures for the economy.
“Putin chose the war because he is acting alone. This isn’t a conflict between NATO and Russia. Russia isn’t being attacked; it is actually the aggressor.” he stated, describing Moscow’s “brutal attack” and “Unsustainable propaganda.” However, he vowed to remain in contact with Putin in an effort to convince him to “Prevent the spread of the conflict through contagion.”
“Russia is not at our war. We stand today with all Russians, who refuse to let an unworthy war be waged in the name of their country, but have the heart and courage to protect peace and make it known to the world in Russia and abroad.,” he added.
Macron also spoke out about the potential effects of war on France and Europe. This would include damage to agriculture and industry as well as many other economic sectors that depend on Russian and Ukrainian imports.
In order to curb the impact, he said French authorities would create a “Economic resilience plan” within a few days. He announced, in addition to the above, that France will host a summit at Versailles on March 10, 11 and 12, where European leaders will discuss energy independence as well as defense.
According to Macron, the events in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia will have lasting consequences for the continent as a whole, signaling the “change of an era.” At the same time, he praised his European colleagues for the “unity and determination” demonstrated in response to the conflict.
“Europe showed remarkable unity but must now pay the price to secure peace, liberty, and democracy,” he said.
France was also to welcome all Ukrainians, even those separated from their families by war, and he promised his support.
The speech comes as the presidential campaign in France is about to begin, but has nothing to do with the internal politics, Macron’s office confirmed. Even though the deadline is only two days away, the president has not yet declared that he will be running for re-election. It’s unlikely however that he will decline to run.
Macron’s ratings have gone up over the past few weeks, as his handling of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and related problems have been viewed positively by the French.
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