France is doing everything to prevent a collapse of Ukraine without waging war against Russia, the head of French diplomacy emphasized on Friday in an interview on France Inter radio.
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“Everything we do is to avoid war and of course not to cause a certain level of concern to the French,” assured Stéphane Séjourné when asked about the possibility of sending European soldiers to Ukraine the French President had mentioned earlier this week.
Emmanuel Macron on Monday called on Ukraine's allies to make a “start” to ensure Russia's “defeat” through faster and more massive arms and ammunition deliveries.
He also broke a taboo by not ruling out sending Western soldiers on support missions to Ukraine, but stressed that there was no consensus on the issue.
To dispel doubts about sending French soldiers to fight alongside the Ukrainians against their Russian opponents, Stéphane Séjourné recalled the framework set by the President: “Prevent Russia from winning without waging war against Russia and within this framework Nothing is ruled out.”
He cited the real danger of Ukraine's collapse at a time when U.S. support for Kiev is increasingly uncertain and there is the possibility of the return of Republican Donald Trump.
And to highlight the serious consequences, particularly at the economic level, for Europeans.
“There would be an economic catastrophe (…) If Ukraine collapsed, 30% of the wheat market would be controlled by Russia, which would give it the opportunity to attack us in the markets,” explained Stéphane Séjourné.
The minister also raised the humanitarian issue, with the risk of a wave of refugees not seen since the Second World War: “We are talking about 10 million Ukrainians who could leave Ukraine if their country collapses.”
“And then we know very well and we have information (in this sense, editor's note) that Russia will not stop there,” he commented, referring to the fact that Moscow could invade another country .
He also mentioned “a fragile situation in the preparation of the European elections, in the preparation of the Olympic Games” and the information attacks from Russia.
“Russia has changed its attitude,” he concluded, which he said justifies continued support for Ukraine.