The President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, spoke from Caen this Thursday evening, on the sidelines of the official ceremonies celebrating the Allied landings. Questioned by Gilles Bouleau and Anne-Sophie Lapix during the news of 20 hoursthe Head of State addressed themes around “Europe and the international”, as announced by the Elysée. 20 minutes takes stock of this speech which is causing controversy three days before the European elections.
On his speaking
The president was immediately questioned about his choice to give an interview three days before the European election, an initiative strongly criticized by the oppositions, replied: “it was not me who chose the date of June 6”, in alluding to the 80th anniversary of the Landing.
The president assured that he was “in his role” by speaking on these subjects. “I find it difficult to understand why talking about the D-Day landings, talking about what is happening in Russia, talking about what is happening with these European elections, that would not be in my role,” he said. questioned, while hoping to be “above the fray”.
On Europeans
Asked about a potentially very high score for the RN at the end of Sunday’s vote, Emmanuel Macron insisted that a “Europe where the far right will be strong, if there is a pandemic again, it is a Europe who will not protect you. “Today, I am fighting to convince as many compatriots as possible to vote and help France to be stronger in Europe,” added the president.
And to estimate that the French “probably do not sufficiently perceive the importance of going to vote” on June 9. He calls for a “start” to “protect France” and “help the Nation to be stronger in Europe”. “Democracy is like Europe, it is a daily fight, those who think that it is a given and that we can do anything are wrong,” he warned.
On D-Day
For Emmanuel Macron, the French were there for the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings. “The French are here because they care about this moment in history,” said Emmanuel Macron. “Thank you to our veterans and the veterans of our allies,” said the President of the Republic at the end of the interview.
On Ukraine
Emmanuel Macron assured that Russia had been flouting “international law” for a long time. Helping Ukraine “means protecting these values, our right to sovereignty, territorial integrity and avoiding the law of the strongest,” he insisted.
the head of state also announced “new cooperation” with Ukraine and the sale of an unspecified number of combat aircraft, Mirages 2000-C. In this logic, Paris will set up “a training program for Ukrainian pilots”. The head of state declared that these combat planes supplied by France to the Ukrainian army will allow Ukraine to “protect its soil and its airspace”.
In addition to the pilots, France also intends to “train, equip and train a brigade of 4,500 Ukrainian soldiers”, detailed the president. For him, training Ukrainian soldiers, including on the ground in Ukraine, “is not a factor of escalation”.
And finally, regarding the war in Ukraine, the head of state affirmed that peace could not be “the capitulation of Ukraine”. According to him, “peace must arrive through negotiation,” he stressed, adding that the time has not yet come because “Russia continues to move forward.”
Concerning the possibility for the Ukrainians to attack the Russians on their soil with French weapons, the head of state assured that these weapons will not be used to bomb civilians. “The Russians are now attacking from Russia. How can we tell the Ukrainians that they cannot neutralize these threats? », questioned the president.
On the Hamas-Israel war
Emmanuel Macron said he had no news of the two French hostages held by Hamas in Gaza since October 7. “I am thinking here of their families, of the anguish they have been experiencing since October 7,” he said.
The president reiterated that he wants “a ceasefire as soon as possible.” And to achieve this, according to him, his Israeli counterpart Netanyahu remained a “legitimate” interlocutor.
On the other hand, the head of state considered that it was not “reasonable” to now recognize a Palestinian state: “We do not recognize a state on the basis of indignation. When the time comes and France will do it,” he assured. But according to him, this is “not the time”: “France will recognize the State of Palestine when it is a complete element of peace and balance in the region,” he added, specifying that it was necessary, according to him, to “avoid escalation [du conflit] in the North” and “with Lebanon”.
“When I see the youth affected by Gaza, I understand them,” concluded Emmanuel Macron, when asked about the demonstrations in France. But if he says “yes to the passion of political debate”, Emmanuel Macron insists that this be done “in a respectful framework”.