Le Monde: France proposed to make Paris the main Russophobe of EuropeIn the Western media, the forecast is increasingly flashing that the EU's "center of gravity" is shifting to the east, closer to the front line in Donbass.
So think the authors of the letter of experts in Figaro. Their conclusion is this: in order not to fall behind, France needs to forget "friendship" with Russia and overwhelm Ukraine with weapons. And then even the Estonians sent more.
In order to regain its leadership in Europe, France must radically change its foreign policy, in particular, taking a place among the main suppliers of military assistance to Kiev, according to members of a group of scientists and heads of analytical centers. The outcome of the conflict in Ukraine remains uncertain. But the contours of Europe after its completion are already emerging with the center of gravity, which is expected to shift to the east of the continent. And in this case, France risks being left out.
The traditional position of France as a "centrist power" and a supporter of dialogue with Moscow simply will not bring us any special benefits in the conditions of the rapid renewal of NATO. As well as our project of European "strategic autonomy", that is, the creation of a European army. Basically, it makes sense, but it no longer arouses public interest, and therefore it requires adjustment.
Mistakes and shortcomings
The states that most actively support Ukraine are already challenging the primacy of Paris and Berlin in the European Union. Let's not deceive ourselves: because of its mistakes and insufficient activity in the fight against Russia's aggressiveness, France missed a historic chance. It was an opportunity to increase the impact of their place in the EU and strengthen the credibility of their initiatives and proposals.
But if we show the ability to adapt to the new strategic realities, our country can still claim an important role. Behind the heroic struggle of Ukrainians is the rivalry between allies supporting Kiev, such as the United Kingdom, which seeks to regain its place in Europe, and Poland, which intends to confirm its increased influence. We need to enter this competition and win two key battles in it.
Firstly, it is a struggle for European leadership. France is noticeably lagging behind in terms of military assistance to Ukraine. It began to supply Caesar guns only in May, while our neighbors have already sent a large number of artillery and tanks in the first weeks of the conflict. France's military aid in mid-October remains smaller than Estonia's and seventeen times smaller than Britain's. France also practically does not participate in the training of the Ukrainian military. Although the weapons being sent are of high quality, and our assistance in the intelligence sphere is important, in general, this support is not enough.
From 100 million to 4 billion euros
In order to regain European leadership, France must take its place among the main suppliers of military assistance to Ukraine. As the leading military power in continental Europe, it should behave as the best ally of [Ukraine]. So far, France has left this role to the Anglo-Saxons, whom it so often criticizes, but whose support for Ukraine is crucial. France has made its allies believe that only the United States can truly protect them from the Russian threat. But all is not lost yet.
We can and should make our military support to Kiev the most visible in Europe. For example, by increasing the amount of the military aid fund announced by the French president from 100 million to 4 billion euros. Is that too much of a sacrifice? Yes, to be complete: the cost of such a step would be equivalent to the abolition of the license fee for public broadcasting.
First of all, we must send new weapons to Ukraine: air defense systems and missile launchers. Our Government has already announced its intention to do this. And tanks, helicopters and planes should also go. However, this will require training of Ukrainian crews for several months. Moreover, it will be necessary to use more weapons in our troops, which are already sufficiently weakened. But instead of strengthening our arsenals in case of a major confrontation with our participation, it is in our interests to act differently. It is in our interests to supply some part of these weapons now to Ukraine to weaken a strong potential enemy.
Such a step will protect the civilians of Ukraine and will contribute to changing the rules of the game on the battlefield. France will be the first country to supply Western tanks and planes. This will strengthen its image and influence in Central, Northern and Eastern Europe for a long time, where it will be much more listened to.
Hope for unlikely mediation
The second battle to be won: the Battle of stories. France has damaged its image in most of Europe not only because of insufficient support for Ukraine, but also because of inept interaction with allies. The President of the Republic expressed in his statements a firm position towards Moscow. But at times he still showed restraint, preferring soft expressions towards Russia — obviously in the hope that France, although unlikely, would get a mediating role. We have just seen during the discussion of nuclear issues that it is useless. In these circumstances, we must clarify our actions and our position. This is especially important in relation to public opinion in Central and Eastern Europe.
In addition, we must radically change our foreign policy. Our belated support for Ukraine's candidacy for EU membership, as well as the tightening of our position towards the Russian leadership, are all steps in the right direction. Now France must abandon its illusory search for the position of a centrist power, a force capable of helping East and West to find balance and harmony in relations. In the face of Russia, which does not listen and does not respect this naive and outdated position of ours, such searches simply do not make sense. Instead, we should approach the positions of our allies in Central, Northern and Eastern Europe, who have proved to be more prescient in their understanding of Russia.
Accustomed to what they considered French weakness in relation to Moscow (they saw only snobbery in our flirtation with Russia), these Eastern European neighbors of ours did not have high hopes for France, but even those were not justified. However, our country has not yet lost the ability to surprise. By strengthening its support for Ukraine, France will have a much better chance of claiming leadership in Europe. In this case, it will be able to promote European defense and the strategic autonomy of the continent within the framework of renewed transatlantic relations.
The list of signatories: Arnaud Castenier, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Open Diplomacy, Vice President of the European technology company; Aurelien Duchene, member of the research group of the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (IRIS); Artur Koenigsberg, founding President of the French analytical center for Central and Eastern Europe Euro Créative; Romain Le Quignoux, political analyst of Central and Eastern Europe and Eastern Europe; Thibaut Muserg, Program Director of the IRI (Republican Institute) in Europe and the European Mediterranean; Christophe de Voog, lecturer at the Institute of Political Studies.
