In an interview with French national television TF1 and France 2 on March 14, 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine, which he had publicly mentioned last month, and which had provoked reactions from other European leaders. Warning Western powers not to show any signs of weakness against Russia, Macron emphasized that the option of sending troops to Ukraine should not be ignored. Still, he stated that the current situation did not require it. French officials later sought to clarify Macron’s words and mitigate reactions, while insisting on the need to signal to Russia that it cannot win in Ukraine.[1]
Then, Macron, who states in La Parisien Newspaper, explained that he had ventured to start a ground operation to stop the Russian army:[2]
“Maybe at some point, I don’t want this, and I won’t be the initiating side, but there may be a need for a ground operation wherever it is against Russian forces. We are ready for any kind of threat. If tensions are further escalated by the Russian Federation, we will be ready to respond for the security of Ukraine and Europeans, but France will not be the first to initiate aggression.”
In the same briefing, Macron said that he is ready to meet with Putin about suggestions related to the conflict in Ukraine:[3]
“If Putin calls, I will answer the phone. It’s my responsibility, and I will listen to his suggestions. France’s role in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine is like the ‘edge of war.’ On one hand, we need to provide everything necessary to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities and military equipment, but at the same time, we also need to contribute to reducing tension. If Putin wants to offer something, I will listen.”
As a response to Macron’s words, Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Sergey Naryshkin said that France has prepared 2 thousand soldiers to send to Ukraine. SVR director highlighted that the French military unit will be the Russian army’s prior target:[4]
“According to information obtained by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, the current government of the country does not care about the deaths of ordinary French people and the concerns of generals. It is being prepared to send a unit of approximately 2,000 people to Ukraine in the initial phase.”
Narishkin also claims that there is already a French military presence in Ukraine. According to Narishkin, who accuses Macron of deceiving the French people, Macron asserts that the purported 2,000-strong military force will take the place of the French soldiers who have sustained significant casualties. Narishkin suggests that there could be a backlash in French society if details about the soldiers France has lost in Ukraine are made public:[5]
“Macron will eventually have to reveal the truth, but he will try to delay the ‘confession’ as much as possible.” The publication of such sensitive information could provoke protests from the public, particularly at a time when farmers are organizing large-scale nationwide demonstrations against the government.”
After these, on 15 March 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk organized a meeting in Berlin. In this meeting’s agenda, one of the main points was France’s increasingly intensifying discourse on Ukraine contrasted with Germany’s refusal to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk has a mediation mission between two actors. In his pre-meeting statements, Tusk referred to Macron by saying what Ukraine needs is “less talk and more ammunition”. Paris administration, Macron has been exposed to criticisms for adopting a high-handed tone despite being behind in actual military aid to Kyiv.[6]
Russian President Vladimir Putin has brought a new dimension to the controversy in his brief about Macron’s words:[7]
“I think there’s a kind of anger, but when we directly addressed it (Macron), we discussed this issue quite openly. It’s easy to point the finger at others without poking yourself with the needle. Perhaps the French President’s response, which is so sharp and quite emotional, is also related to what’s happening in some African countries.”
As a result, Macron’s explanations have created new controversies about France’s foreign policy acts in addition to the Russia-Ukraine war. The rhetoric that “Russia is an existential threat” and therefore Ukraine must be defended at all costs, which has increasingly been used by Western states since the beginning of the war, should also be considered in the context of Macron. This stance, in response to escalating farmer protests in Europe, particularly in France, can be seen as an effort by Macron, both domestically and at the EU level, to consolidate his position. The criticism directed at Macron during his meeting with Scholz and Tusk, “less talk, more action,” also serves as evidence of this situation. While the claims put forward by Russia, alleging that France already has a military presence in Ukraine, are significant, Putin’s discourse on “France losing its influence in Africa to Russia” is another important aspect of this debate.
[1] Corbet, S., “Macron again declines to rule out Western troops in Ukraine, but says they’re not needed now”, Associated Press, https://apnews.com/article/france-macron-ukraine-troops-caa788d2455dafb06dd87f79c4afe06f, (Date of Access: 20.03.2024).
[2]“Macron: Ukrayna’da Rus güçlerine karşı kara operasyonu düzenleyebiliriz”, Sputnik, https://sputniknews.com.tr/20240317/macron-ukraynada-rus-guclerine-karsi-kara-operasyonu-duzenleyebiliriz-1081763008.html (Date of Access: 20.03.2024).
[3] Ibıd.
[4]“Rusya Dış İstihbarat Servisi: Fransa, Ukrayna’ya 2 bin asker gönderecek”, Sputnik, https://sputniknews.com.tr/20240319/rusya-dis-istihbarat-servisi-fransa-ukraynaya-2-bin-asker-gonderecek-1081846926.html, (Date of Access: 20.03.2024).
[5] Ibıd.
[6] Caulcutt, C., et al., “‘Unity is strength,’ insist Macron, Scholz and Tusk as trio tries to bury the hatchet over Ukraine strategy”, Politico, https://www.politico.eu/article/emmanuel-macron-olaf-scholz-donald-tusk-unity-ukraine-strategy/, (Date of Access: 20.03.2024).
[7]“Putin addresses French president’s concerns over Russian presence in Africa”, Africa News, https://www.africanews.com/2024/03/14/putin-addresses-french-presidents-concerns-over-russian-presence-in-africa//, (Date of Access: 20.03.2024).
