Emmanuel Macron predicted on the evening of Wednesday March 2 that the days to come would be "harder and tougher" in Ukraine, which for seven days has been subjected to an "unworthy" Russian offensive.
The French president warned that the crisis would have an impact on the economy and the life of the population in France.
Speaking in a televised address to the nation, the French leader said this was not a war between Westerners and Russia but an aggression by Moscow, decided "alone" by the Russian president Vladimir Poutine.
Reproaching his Russian counterpart for having "deliberately" chosen the path of armed conflict "by reneging one by one on the commitments made before the community of nations", the president nevertheless said that he had "chosen to stay in contact" as much as possible and as much as necessary with Vladimir Putin in order to convince him to "give up arms".
It is "not a conflict between NATO and the West on the one hand, and Russia on the other (...). There are no troops or military bases. "NATO in Ukraine, these are lies. Russia is not attacked, it is the aggressor", said Emmanuel Macron, referring to an "unprecedented ordeal for many decades".
"Neither France, nor Europe, nor Ukraine, nor the Atlantic Alliance wanted this war. On the contrary, we did everything to avoid it," he added.
"We are not at war with Russia (...). We are today at the side of all Russians who, refusing to allow an unworthy war to be waged in their name, have the spirit of responsibility and the courage to defend the peace."
French growth will be "inevitably affected"
Describing the offensive launched by Russia in Ukraine as a "rupture" having "upset the balance" of Europe and announcing "profound changes" in the months to come, Emmanuel Macron underlined the consequences of this conflict for France , particularly economic, and the need to invest more in defence.
He let it be known that he would bring together European leaders in Versailles on March 10 and 11 for a summit in order to discuss in particular a "new economic model based on independence and progress".
"Our growth will inevitably be affected" by rising costs, including those of energy, caused by this conflict, said the French president.
"Many economic sectors are suffering and will suffer, either because they depend on imports of raw materials from Russia or Ukraine, or because they export to these countries."
>> To read also: "War in Ukraine: the dilemma of the French energy champions present in Russia"
"Democratic life" affected
“Faced with these economic and social consequences, I will have only one compass: to protect you,” he added, announcing that he had “asked the Prime Minister to draw up an economic and social resilience plan for the next few days. to address these difficulties.
Emmanuel Macron noted that the war in Ukraine was also "impacting our democratic life and the electoral campaign which officially opens at the end of this week", Friday being the deadline for submitting candidacies for the presidential election of the month. next.
"This campaign will allow a democratic debate (...) but which will not prevent us from meeting on the essentials", said the president, who has still not officially announced his candidacy for his re-election.
"I know I can count on you, your attachment to freedom, equality, fraternity, France's place in the world. I will never stop defending them and carrying them high in your name", did he declare.
With AFP
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