PARIS, France: French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Thursday that limiting aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia could lead to the defeat of Kiev and destroy trust and security in Europe.
“If Russia wins this war, Europe’s credibility will be reduced to zero,” Macron said in an interview with French broadcasters TF1 and France Television.
Calling the conflict in Ukraine “existential for our Europe and for France”, the French president said anybody advocating “limits” on aid to Ukraine “chooses defeat”.
He said there had been “too many limits in our vocabulary” since Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022.
“Two years ago, we said we would never send tanks. We did. Two years ago, we said we would never send medium-range missiles. We did,” he added.
“Those who say ‘let’s not support Ukraine’ do not make the choice of peace, they make the choice of defeat,” he said further.
For France “all options” are on the table in its support for Ukraine, Macron assured.
“Should the situation get worse, we will be ready” to prevent a Russian victory, but he also said his country would “never go on the offensive” in the war.
“We will never take the initiative,” he said.
Last month, Macron caused a stir when he said he would not rule out sending ground troops to Ukraine.
According to a poll by daily Le Figaro, his comments did not resonate well not only among allies but also among the French public, with 68 percent disapproving of such a declaration.
This week, majorities in both houses supported Macron’s Ukraine strategy, with the far-right RN party abstaining and the radical left voting against it, accusing Mr Macron of “warmongering”.
On Thursday, in response to a question about sending ground forces to Ukraine, President Macron said: “We are not in that situation today.”
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal warned this week that a victory by Russian President Vladimir Putin would be a disaster for the purchasing power of French households as food and energy prices rise.
A poll published this month by La Tribune Daily shows that French public support for economic and financial aid to Ukraine is weakening, with a favorable opinion now at just 39 percent, down 11 percent from June last year.
Meanwhile, some 79 percent opposed sending combat troops to Ukraine, and 47 percent said they did not want French troops to carry out training missions in Ukraine.
