Until the end, the circumstances will not have ceased to be imposed on Emmanuel Macron. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, launched on February 24, represents the last avatar of a five-year period during which the Head of State will have adapted to the crises that hit him, from “yellow vests” to the Covid epidemic. -19. Even the tone of the campaign he is about to launch in view of the presidential election on April 10 and 24 is now dictated by events. The President of the Republic summarized the content of a formula during a speech delivered from the Elysée, Wednesday March 2: “Protect yourself. »
A promise made to the French, seized with concern by the images of the fighting, the deaths, the hundreds of thousands of refugees launched on the roads of exile, the nuclear threat brandished by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and the consequences economic and geopolitical aspects of a war whose developments remain unknown. “Hundreds of Ukrainian civilians have been killed. Women and children were killed again today. The days to come will probably be harder and harder.predicted Emmanuel Macron, as Russian forces massed at the gates of Kiev.
Before projecting himself on the aftermath, the Head of State made a point of placing the context of this conflict, this “brutal attack” which constitutes a “unprecedented ordeal for many decades” in Europe and marks the “brutal return of tragedy in history”. According to him, its leader has a name: Vladimir Putin.
A “demanding and constant” dialogue with Putin
In response to the story of the Russian president, who claims to want to defend his country against NATO’s alleged expansionist desires, the tenant of the Elysée thus recalled that “this war is not a conflict between NATO and the West on the one hand and Russia on the other”. “There are no NATO troops or bases in Ukraine. These are lies. Russia is not attacked. She is the aggressor”underlined Mr. Macron.
“President Putin chose war”he insisted. ” Only “fed by a “revisionist reading of the history of Europe” and “a spirit of revenge”. That of the head of an ancient empire who dreams of restoring its past greatness. The head of state took great care to distinguish the Putin regime from the Russian people, “this great European people” part of which expresses in demonstrations its refusal “Let an unworthy war be waged in [son] name “.
This firm tone towards the master of the Kremlin is also a way for Emmanuel Macron to respond to criticism from those who accuse him of having conducted a sterile dialogue for five years with his counterpart, received with great fanfare at the Château de Versailles or Fort Brégançon (Var). On February 7, the President of the Republic went to Moscow to try to prevent war. In vain.
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