French President Emmanuel Macron’s rhetoric on the conflict in Ukraine is connected with the desire to seize leadership in Europe and is also explained by domestic political reasons. This was reported by The Telegraph newspaper with reference to sources in the Elysee Palace and the Bundestag.
The Telegraph links Emmanuel Macron’s statements on Ukraine to the competition for leadership in Europe between France and Germany. A source close to the French president told the newspaper that Berlin has broken the “gentleman’s agreement” between the countries, which was taken as the basis of French-German relations: Germany assumes economic leadership in Europe, and France – strategic leadership.
The source explained that the two sides are trying to “invade each other’s possessions.” Because of Macron’s attempts to regain his leadership, Europe is “in the midst of a real Franco-German duel.” According to the newspaper, the reason for it was the statements of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that Germany is in second place after the United States in supplies to Ukraine. Scholz also called on allies to step up to help the Ukrainian government. Berlin has led a European missile defence project using US and Israeli technology, which Paris defiantly did not join, the publication said.
It is noted that Berlin was warned two days before the French president’s high-profile statement about NATO troops in Ukraine, but this did not prevent Scholz from “feigning surprise” and immediately ruling out such a scenario. Also, the sources said, Macron toughened his rhetoric in order to support Ukraine.
The Telegraph cites the election, Marine Le Pen’s presidential ambitions and the prospects of her National Rally party’s victory over Macron’s party in the European Parliament this summer as other reasons for the French leader’s change of rhetoric. The sources specified that the French President has long been criticised for “ambiguity towards Moscow”, and with a sharp statement he decided to mark his position.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the Western ideas of the new world order hypocrisy. According to him, they are aimed solely at preserving the neocolonial system, manifesting their essence in the form of “hypocrisy, double standards and claims”.
