Emmanuel Macron’s reporting on Russia’s actions has undergone a radical change since Vladimir Putin decided to invade Ukraine two years ago.
From the statement made at the beginning of March 2022, when he said, „we must not humiliate Russia,” while Kremlin troops were attacking Kyiv, torturing civilians in the town of Bucha, and bombing buildings in Kharkiv, to „we are sending soldiers to Ukraine,” Macron has followed a political path resembling that of a roller coaster in an amusement park.
In an interview broadcast during prime time on the main television channels in France, Emmanuel Macron not only did not back down on the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine but also reaffirmed his proposal to the horror of Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, a fervent supporter of gradually supporting Kyiv.
"Today, we are not in a position to send troops (to Ukraine), but all options are possible," stated the President of France.
The confirmation of the position expressed three weeks ago, at the meeting in Paris, when Macron proposed discussing with allies the possibility of transferring NATO troops to Ukraine, if necessary, led to an emergency meeting in Berlin on Friday between Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, and Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland.
Officially, the discussions on the agenda were about new ways to help Ukraine, but the British newspaper "The Guardian" announced that there was an attempt to reconcile France's announcement about the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine.
Olaf Scholz and his government representatives repeatedly and firmly denied that such a possibility existed, asking Paris not to support this idea. However, Macron did not comply.
Donald Tusk's role, the Prime Minister of Poland, is as a messenger for the USA, as he has been on an official visit to Washington in recent days.
If we do not respond, we are defeated
The change in attitude of the French president has transformed him, in just three weeks, into the main European supporter of the Ukrainian cause and the leader around whom the alliance of Western states gravitates.
"If the war were to spread in Europe, it would be Russia's choice and exclusive responsibility. But if we decide today to be weak, if we decide today that we will not respond, it means we are already defeated. And I do not want that," Macron stated in the interview broadcast on Thursday, March 14.
The fact that Macron has taken on the role of leader of the allied states is part of a broader strategy in which Western actors change based on internal political calendars and their relationship with public opinion.
Emmanuel Macron is in his second presidential term ending in 2027. The French leader has enough room to maneuver and can take risks, especially given that Joe Biden is involved in a difficult election campaign, once again facing Donald Trump.
After the exit of Boris Johnson, the former British Prime Minister, the foremost vocal supporter of aiding Ukraine, there was a period when the message of support for Kyiv was left solely to the USA, but in the current political deadlock in America, a new Western leader needs to step in.
The UK continues to provide consistent support to Ukraine with funds and weapons, but tensions within the Conservative Party and the possibility of losing elections in the fall have led to the current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, not being able to match the intensity of the message conveyed by Boris Johnson in the early days of the invasion.
Supporting Ukraine, a concrete and practical issue for Germany
Olaf Scholz has proven, despite several attempts, that he lacks the capacity and credibility to play such a role. On the one hand, because he does not have a high visibility level in Europe, still being overshadowed by the strong personality of former Chancellor Angela Merkel, and on the other hand, he has adopted a reserved attitude from the beginning of the conflict, being very careful not to upset Russia too much but also not to place Germany on the wrong side of history.
This real difficulty for Berlin in being an advocate for Ukraine, while also avoiding possibilities of conflict escalation, has limited the scope of action for Olaf Scholz.
"We are all very concerned about the terrible consequences of Russia's aggressive war on Ukraine. Supporting this country is a very concrete and practical issue to know if there is enough ammunition, enough artillery, enough air defense - many things that play a significant role for Ukraine. We need to discuss to advance this cooperation," stated Olaf Scholz at the meeting of the three leaders in Berlin.
Macron's determined attitude and statements have revived support for Ukraine, slowed down by the political deadlock in the USA and the ammunition crisis observed in Europe.
Small and Insignificant
Vladimir Putin was affected by the entry of the French president onto the scene, being surprised by the strength of his message and the fact that he does not have an ambiguous attitude towards the conflict, as he was accustomed to.
For a long time, he regarded Macron as a leader without influence and impact on public opinion, putting him in difficult and humiliating situations two years ago.
The scene where the French president, visiting Moscow, is seated by Putin at the end of a long table in a huge room at the Kremlin, appearing small and insignificant in the official images, was a shock at that time.
Additionally, phone conversations between Macron and Putin, released by the Elysée Palace, show a Russian leader using a superior tone, lying to and disrespecting the French president.
Vladimir Putin believes Macron announced sending troops to Ukraine because he is bothered by Russia's increasing influence in Africa.
"... There is some resentment. When we maintained direct contact with him, we spoke openly on this issue. We did not go to Africa and did not remove France from there. The problem is different," Putin said in an interview broadcast on Wednesday, March 13.
"This well-known Wagner Group first carried out a series of economic projects in Syria, then moved to other African countries. The Ministry of Defense provided them support, but only on the basis that it was a Russian group, nothing more. We did not kick anyone out. It's just that the African leaders in some countries agreed with the Russian economic operators, wanted to work with them, and no longer wanted to work in any way with the French. It was not even our initiative; it was an initiative that came from our African friends," Vladimir Putin stated.
Macron Emerges in a Challenging Moment for Ukraine
Even in the situation where one of the reasons is as suggested by the Russian president, Macron's entry onto the scene has revived support for Ukraine at a difficult moment when a financial, armament, and political leadership crisis has arisen within the Western alliance due to the intense electoral campaign in the USA and the pro-Russia positioning of a faction of the Republican Party.