Paris conference on support for Ukraine: the Kremlin reacts to Emmanuel Macron's comments

The Kremlin, via its spokesperson, commented this morning on Monday's speech by French President Emmanuel Macron on the possibility of sending soldiers on the ground to Ukraine, “not to be ruled out”.

A double-trigger comment.

(illustration) Moscow, February 23, 2024: Russian President Vladimir Putin alongside his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, and veterans, for the traditional tribute to the unknown soldier.

AP - Alexander Kazakov

By: Anissa El Jabri Follow

Advertisement

Read more

with our correspondent in Moscow,

The Kremlin first emphasizes that "

Emmanuel Macron's comments on a possible sending of soldiers are an important and new element in the French president's speech

", to better minimize them in a second step.

State agencies, for example, such as Ria Novosti, note in their report on Dmitri Peskov's remarks that, in their eyes, there is no consensus among Westerners on this subject.

But if there were, and

if Western military personnel set foot in Ukraine

, then for Moscow, “

It is absolutely not in the interest of these countries nor that of its citizens.

They must be aware of this

,” because “

a conflict between the Russian Federation and NATO would be inevitable

.”

In the meantime, this Tuesday morning, the Kremlin made this announcement public:

Vladimir Putin

's speech this Thursday will be broadcast live and free of charge in cinemas in 17 cities in Russia.

Convinced of having regained the initiative on the ground, the Russian head of state has been displaying his triumphalism for several months.

On the advertising poster for these sessions there is an image of Vladimir Putin and these few words: “

all our goals will be achieved

”.

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your inbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

Share :

Continue reading on the same themes:

  • Russia

On the same subject

International press review

In the news: the extraordinary Paris summit on Ukraine

Emmanuel Macron says sending Western troops to Ukraine in future cannot 'be ruled out'