Macron’s solution for Ukraine situation is criticized for being irrational

French President Emmanuel Macron is under criticism for proposing a solution to resolve a crisis in Ukraine to get reelected in the presidential election in April and become the leader of the European Union (EU), which has been empty since the retirement of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. While a threat of invasion by Russia has not been resolved, the French president is overly optimistic that the crisis of a potential war will dissipate soon with his involvement.

According to Reuters, President Macron said the crisis in Ukraine will be resolved as the result of a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and himself in Moscow on Monday. “President Putin made a statement that he will not worsen military tensions in the border region of Ukraine and that he will keep a peace agreement in Donbas, the eastern region of Ukraine with many pro-Russian rebels, and withdraw Russian military deployed to Belarus,” said the French president.

However, just a day later, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that such a statement is groundless and that Russia did not make such an agreement with France, refuting what the French president said. “France is a leading country in the EU, France is a member of NATO, but Paris is not the leader there. In this bloc, a very different country (the U.S.) is in charge. So what deals can we talk about?” the press secretary said, diminishing France and President Macron at the same time.

Even Ukraine is skeptical. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a summit meeting with President Macron in Kyiv on Tuesday but he said he does not fully trust words, implying his lack of full trust in the French president’s statement. The New York Times reported that Russia insists that the U.S. should be negotiating with them, not France. The newspaper also added that President Macron’s “shuttle diplomacy” weakened France’s diplomatic authority and trust and was not successful in resolving the crisis in Ukraine.


Youn-Jong Kim zozo@donga.com