Showy determination. Why did Macron talk about sending troops to Ukraine?

France will not send its military to the front, but they may be deployed in other sectors, пишет Vladyslav Girman, an observer of the international policy department of "DS".

French President Emmanuel Macron

On February 26, after a meeting with European leaders at the Elysee Palace, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the possible deployment of troops to Ukraine in the future. In this way, he surprised both his allies and the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, who in his address to the Federal Assembly even addressed this separately.

Macron argued his position simply: Europe cannot allow the defeat of Ukraine. Regarding the sending of NATO military countries, he noted that many of those who today are categorically against this, similarly two years ago, were also against the provision of tanks, fighters or long-range missiles to Ukraine.

"Let's have the humility to admit that we often fell behind the schedule by six to twelve months. This was the goal of today's discussion: everything is possible if it is useful for achieving our goal," he added.

And this is not some impulse of the president of the Fifth Republic. No, obviously the narrative about the sending of troops has been processed in advance, because other French officials spoke about this together with Macron, as well as about the threat to France from the Russian Federation.

In particular, Minister of Internal Affairs Gerald Darmanen, speaking in the French Senate, on February 27 identified Russia as the main enemy of the country in the information and espionage war.

On the same day, the head of the French Foreign Ministry, Stéphane Sejourne, explained Macron's idea of ​​deploying NATO troops in Ukraine, noting that it is time to "consider new forms of support for Ukraine, which can be directed to specific needs." We are talking about their possible participation in demining, cyber operations or weapons production.

On February 29, a similar statement was made by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. And he somewhat expanded the hypothetical boundaries of the activities of the French military: "When we talk about French soldiers, we may well be talking about soldiers participating in exercises, anti-aircraft defense or defense of a certain length of borders."

Simultaneously with Attal, Macron confirmed that his military proposal was "carefully thought out." That is, he was perfectly aware of the resonance his words would have. And not only among allies, but also within France.

Artificial betrayal

The next day, March 1, Sezhurnoe gave an interview to France Inter radio, which provoked even greater excitement in Russia and Ukraine. Actually, Russian propaganda resources, first of all "RIA Novosti", in the morning filled the information space with news with reference to this broadcast that France will not send its troops to Ukraine. At the same time, emphasis was placed on the fact that "the French will not die for Ukraine."

The head of French diplomacy really said it. However, as usual, context is important. First, the phrase "the French will not die for Ukraine" sounded after a phone call from a listener who, in fact, said that he did not want to die for Ukraine and Zelensky. Sejourne reassured him and the other listeners: "I don't want to die and none of the French will die."

However, both before the call and after Sejourne noted several points.

First, the Russians are a threat to Ukraine, France and Europe as a whole.

Secondly, France must do everything to support and increase support for Ukraine.

After all, thirdly, the defeat of Ukraine will have extremely negative consequences for Europe, too, because of Russia's possible aggression against Moldova, Poland, and the Baltic states; because of the new, multi-million wave of refugees; and because of, for example, Moscow's acquisition of a lever of pressure on Europe in the form of agricultural production (in the event of Ukraine's defeat, the Russian Federation, according to the minister, will have a 30% share in the grain market).

Fourth, Europe has already made similar mistakes in the past — when it allowed the Third Reich to seize the Sudetenland. By the way, soon the question "Why die for Danzig?" appeared in the French press. But the answer to it had to be sought after the fact - in Dunkirk.

Fifth, Sejourne reminded that France is now operating within the limits defined by Macron — victory over Russia without direct participation in the war with it, and "within these limits nothing can be excluded." In particular, the deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine.

Actually, Sejourne noted that no combat units will be sent to Ukraine. That is, there will be no regularly formed armed forces of France or other NATO countries at the front. But the leadership of France declared this from the very beginning, so the agitation with a taste of betrayal, inflated by the Russian mass media, is completely artificial.

The Germans will move

By the way, about the Sudetenland mentioned by Stefan Suzhern, that is, about historical parallels.

Actually, there is nothing extraordinary in Macron's idea. Moreover, France has the relevant historical experience, since after the restoration of Poland's independence following the First World War, Paris sent a military mission to this country that operated from 1918 to 1938.

The task of the French military was to assist the Poles in creating a strong army both in the context of resisting the Bolshevik invasion and with the goal of gaining a powerful ally against Germany. And the French were not the only ones working in Poland in this direction. The British military mission also operated there with the same goal.

Similar military missions are already working today with the aim of training the Ukrainian military — both in partner countries and on our territory. Therefore, the option proposed by Macron is not fantastic at all.

On the other hand, Macron's initiative is not popular in NATO anyway. It was supported by only five countries: Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Estonia. The rest, in particular Germany, spoke categorically against.

If, as the French president says, his statements were "carefully thought out", then the promotion of the idea of ​​sending troops to Ukraine in the current situation is, first of all, a political and media action.

Thus, Macron flirts with the French imperialists and mobilizes his own electorate. This is his second term, however, he may continue his political career in the parliament or even the government after the next elections. This time.

Two: he also mobilizes allies in Europe, simultaneously increasing the role of France in European politics and moving the still indecisive German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who stubbornly refuses to provide Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles, despite pressure from allies, for example, Great Britain.

In other words, we are now observing a demonstration of France's determination. again This, in fact, was the case with Scalp missiles, which the French handed over to us immediately after the British. Although, of course, it is far from a fact that Macron will continue the demonstration and NATO troops will indeed appear in the Ukrainian rear. At least, in the near future.

Read also on Newsky "Fight and be fruitful. How Putin convinced Kuzkin's mother to have new children" and look at Boring Pence YouTube channel.

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