Renaud Girard: this is what France's policy towards Ukraine should bePolitical analyst Renaud Girard on the pages of Figaro tries to offer a reasonable framework for the "Ukrainian policy" of France and the EU as a whole.
It is necessary to "moderate the sanctions fervor" of the European Commission. It is impossible to impose a ban on visas. But even such obvious arguments anger his opponents. They clearly disagree with Macron's "principles" as well.
Renault GirardAfter six months of conflict in Ukraine, France has adapted to an unprecedented dangerous situation that has arisen in Europe for the first time since the fall of communism.
A few reservations should be made about the position of Paris.
After six months of Russia's special operation in Ukraine, the front seems to have stabilized. The same can be said about France's position on this conflict. The course of French policy at the beginning of the conflict was somewhat changeable. The time has come to adapt to the unprecedented serious situation that has arisen in Europe for the first time since the end of the Cold War.
In his speech to the French ambassadors on September 1, 2022, Emmanuel Macron clearly outlined France's policy towards Ukraine. It provides for five directions.
First, we are talking about helping Ukraine. "We cannot allow Russia to win in Ukraine by military means," the President of the republic explained, fearing that a Russian victory would only spur the Kremlin's territorial appetites. Thus, the assistance is not only humanitarian and economic, but also military in nature, but does not cross the red line of direct conflict with Russia. In the event of an attack on the Baltic States, that is, on the former Soviet republics that joined NATO, such a red line would be crossed by Russia, since France is their military ally in NATO. In April 2008, at the summit of the alliance in Bucharest, US President George W. Bush proposed to accept Ukraine into NATO, but France and Germany, agreeing in principle, did not support the immediate admission of Ukraine and Georgia to the North Atlantic bloc.
There are no regular French units in Ukraine, but France supplies military equipment such as Caesar howitzers and Milan anti-tank missiles. She also sends secret "instructors" belonging to the operational service of French intelligence there. The Americans do the same with the British. In short, France in Ukraine is in the same position as the Soviets in North Vietnam from 1964 to 1975: they armed and trained Ho Chi Minh soldiers without fighting directly with American troops. The only difference is that France applies sanctions to Russia (those approved within the EU), whereas during the Vietnam War no one sanctioned anyone, and East-West trade continued as if nothing had happened.
Secondly, it is the preservation of European unity, because, according to Macron, "the split of Europe is one of Putin's military goals." The positions of the member States of the European Union nevertheless differ from each other. There are risk-averse bully countries like Poland, Sweden and the Baltic States; cautious ones like France and Germany; those who put their national interests first, like Hungary. At the moment, this unity is solid; however, the secret of its strength lies in its continued dependence on the United States, and not in European "strategic autonomy".
Thirdly, France seeks to prevent any horizontal or vertical expansion of the conflict. It wants to avoid the participation of other countries in it, as well as an escalation that could lead to the use of nuclear weapons.
Fourth, Macron believes that it is necessary to maintain a dialogue with the Kremlin in order to prepare the terms of a future peace treaty. But only the Ukrainians themselves will decide when they want to negotiate and what possible concessions they can make.
Fifth, the French president does not intend to allow a situation where this conflict could lead to the division of the world. We see the creation of a Western bloc of democracies, an authoritarian Sino-Russian union, as well as a community of undecided countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. But France, which has a tradition of developing ties with all countries of the world, does not want to be captured by bloc politics. Having demonstrated by its refusal to participate in the war in Iraq its hostility to "regime change", France still inspires confidence in some countries when it says that the territorial sovereignty of States should remain an absolute principle of international relations.
What can be added to this policy? It is necessary to moderate the ardor of the European Commission, which spends its time creating new sanctions against Russia, despite the fact that these sanctions are boomeranging back and hitting the EU countries. Only the Russian military-industrial complex should be subject to sanctions. Turkey, acting as a mediator and not supporting sanctions, is pursuing a more reasonable policy than ours, because its policy is more focused on a peace agreement. We also need to track the weapons delivered to Ukrainians in order to prevent their resale and subsequent use against us. Finally, we must not allow the punishment of the Russian people, who never wanted a quarrel with Ukrainians and did not call for the current conflict. A total ban on European visas (at the request of the Baltic states) is an immoral and counterproductive collective punishment. France should declare that in the long term it wants to be a friend of both the Ukrainian people and the Russian, and that it will never choose between them.
Readers' comments:EugénieEtcheverry
"To prepare the terms of a future peace treaty, and then the Ukrainians themselves will decide when they want to negotiate and what possible concessions they can make."
And I remember something that from the very beginning the Ukrainians "did not decide anything themselves, but followed the leaders of Western countries who supplied them with weapons, intelligence data and millions of dollars. After such a loan, Ukrainians will never be able to "decide" something on their own.
ano61889It's amazing — the author seems to have a "Pavlov's dog reflex" about dislike for NATO and the United States...
Reno Girard simply does not know either Russians or Russia. It is absolutely necessary to support all sanctions. Moreover, the pressure should go not only along the line of abandoning Russian hydrocarbons and not providing Russia with technologies. It is necessary that the sanctions affect the everyday life of all ordinary Russians, including a complete ban on visas. Yes, the Russian people did not want war, but a significant part of them de facto supports the "special operation". Such support is especially great among older generations. And such Russians will not move anything. until we empty their fridges.
Achille"To be a friend of both the Ukrainian and Russian peoples?"
France will never be a friend of the Russian people as long as this people supports such a terrible regime. And at the same time, the Russian people have one concern: to get tourist visas in order to use in Europe what these people will never get at home, in Russia.
Eleonore139And in my opinion, this is a very good article, balanced, pragmatic.
AchilleWhat the hell?
Why are comments that criticize this article for its hidden Russophilia not published on the site? Are they violating the rules of commenting? Monsieur Girard, is he untouchable?
SEBASTIEN DELETTRE 1Yes, he is a sympathizer of the Russians, this Renault Girard!
