French president announces an international coalition to provide Kyiv with more middle and long-ranged munitions
Joe Barnes, BRUSSELS CORRESPONDENT
27 February 2024 • 9:52am
Emmanuel Macron took a veiled dig at Germany after chancellor Olaf Scholz ruled out donating long-range missiles to Ukraine.
The French president urged Western governments to do “whatever we can” to ensure Vladimir Putin does not secure a victory in Ukraine as he hosted more than 20 international leaders in Paris on Monday night.
In a bid to cement France’s backing for war-torn Ukraine, he also said deploying Western troops there “could not be ruled out” and dropped his long-standing opposition to funding artillery ammunition from outside the EU.
Mr Macron said Russia’s defeat was vital to ensure “Europe’s collective security”, speaking to reporters after the hastily-arranged summit.
“We will do everything needed so Russia cannot win the war,” the French leader added.
Responding to questions over the prospect of Western soldiers being deployed to Ukraine, he said: “There is no consensus to officially back any ground troops.
“That said, nothing should be excluded. We will do everything that we can to make sure that Russia does not prevail.”
After the issue was raised publicly by Robert Fico, Slovakia’s prime minister, earlier on Monday, Mr Macron said it had been discussed in a “very free and direct” manner.
“Many of the people who say ‘never, never’ today were the same people who said ‘never, never tanks, never, never planes, never, never long-range missiles, never, never this’ two years ago,” the French president said.
“I remind you that two years ago, many around this table said: ‘We will offer sleeping bags and helmets.”
His remarks were seen as a veiled swipe towards German leader Mr Scholz, who attended the talks, for his decision to send helmets but not weaponsto Ukraine in the early stages after the invasion.
The German chancellor ruled out sending Taurus cruise missiles, which have a range of up to 310 miles, to Ukraine on Monday.
This included a significant French U-turn to back EU funds being used to buy artillery ammunition from outside the bloc.
Mr Macron said he would join a €1.5 billion Czech Republic-led effort to secure 800,000 shells from third countries.
Paris had previously insisted that EU cash spent on arming Ukraine should be channelled through European defence producers to expand the continent’s industry.
Let’s take a trip into a parallel, more just and kind universe:
If a coalition of France/Germany/UK/Poland would send mechanised ground troops, plus their own independent air defence systems, into Ukraine, possibly Czechia or a Scandi might join in too, that would strengthen Ukraine no end. If the ones with the bigger militaries sent two brigades each and the smaller sent one each, that would be a strength of approximately three divisions.
They could deploy them in a defensive posture in say; Odessa, Mykolaiv and Kyiv. This would drill into putler’s evil brain that he has no chance whatsoever of ever entering those cities. Furthermore, Ukraine could then free off some defenders in those cities for deployment on the front line.
In addition, each could contribute a squadron of modern duel-purpose attack planes for patrol duties over Ukrainian airspace. They would not have to be based in Ukraine of course.
“Responding to questions over the prospect of Western soldiers being deployed to Ukraine, he said: “There is no consensus to officially back any ground troops.”
There does not need to be a consensus. Countries could simply agree to provide help on a voluntary basis.
No support for Scholz on this, he did this to himself with his horribly cowardly refusal. Whatever, this also shows that there’s no love lost between both heads of state. Which is a problem for the EU in times when the need for a united stance is so high. That Macron and Scholz certainly have very different personalities can’t be helped, but there still should be better cooperation between them. Such kindergarten animosities, shown in public, are simply unprofessional. ☹
listening to Macron’s words it is more of a reminder of the facts than a mockery.
a reminder of the expression “never say never”.
at the beginning the German tanks were the only tanks incapable of fighting against Russian fascism in Europe and today they have a more honorable destiny
Internet is down in the Russia
Right. Details here:
“Social media and cellular network outages reported in Russia”
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/02/27/7443937/
Too many meat puppets calling their moms?
Last call, then alcohol! 😁
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