During a press conference in Prague this Tuesday, March 5, Emmanuel Macron admitted that he had called for a “strategic leap” by raising the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine, warning against the “spirit of defeat”, “he is lurking”. .”
“Is it our war or not our war? Can we turn away and consider that things can continue as they are? I don't think so, and that's why it was a strategic move that I made and that I fully accept. We must be clear about the reality of the situation in Europe.”
“The war is returning to European soil,” declared the French head of state, emphasizing that the “clarity” of his words was “what Europe needed.”
In addition to Czech President Petr Pavel, Emmanuel Macron also considered the Prague initiative to buy ammunition outside the European Union to support Ukraine “extremely useful.”
Emmanuel Macron explained that in the face of threats it is necessary to live up to history and “not to be a coward”:
“We are certainly approaching a time in our Europe when it will be appropriate not to be cowardly. We never want to see the tragedies that come, we never want to see what happens, and I believe that both of our countries are aware of what is happening in Europe, the fact that the war has returned to our soil, that the Powers that have become unstoppable are increasing the threat every day and attacking us even more. We must do justice to history and the courage it brings,” said the French president.
Macron also named the Russian dictator in his speech:
“Who started the war in Ukraine? Wladimir Putin. Whoever threatens us with nuclear weapons, no matter what we say? President Putin. […] As we explain every day where our borders are to someone who does not know them and who started this war, I can already tell that the spirit of defeat lurks. Not between us.”