Emmanuel Macron responded to France Bleu this Thursday on the use of the word “genocide” in Ukraine. The day before, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had described the French President’s refusal to denounce a “genocide” in Ukraine by the Russian army as “very hurtful”.
As a guest of Wendy Bouchard on the program “Ma France” and asked about this subject, Emmanuel Macron believes that “words have meaning and we all have to be very careful”, specifying that his role is “at all costs”. to avoid escalation and to protect French men and women from a widening of the war.”
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“The word genocide has a meaning,” defends Emmanuel Macron
Asked about a visit to Ukraine, Emmanuel Macron believes that “the time will come”. I think the journey should not only be about seeing things, but also about acting. That’s why I’ve always said that if it’s useful, I’ll do it,” assures Emmanuel Macron.
“Now we were all impressed by the pictures of Boutcha last week,” he adds. We were all struck by the scenes we see in Mariupol, which France condemned with great clarity. We have sent judges and gendarmes to help Ukraine document these war crimes and be able to initiate the trials. This is how we must proceed. The word genocide has a meaning, and the word genocide needs to be qualified today by lawyers, not politicians. And I draw everyone’s attention. If it is genocide, States must take into account that it is genocide that must intervene by international convention: “Is that what people want, namely to become co-belligerents? I don’t think so”.
“Such comments hurt us very much,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The French President’s refusal on Wednesday to denounce a “genocide” in Ukraine by the Russian army was “very hurtful,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. “If that’s true, such statements are very hurtful for us,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a press conference on Wednesday. “I will do my best to raise this issue with Mr. Macron today. If not, then tomorrow if he finds time,” added the Ukrainian president.
Emmanuel Macron decided earlier in the day not to use the term “genocide,” which his American counterpart Joe Biden is using to accuse Russian President Vladimir Putin of doing it in Ukraine. “I would say that Russia unilaterally unleashed a brutal war, that it is now clear that war crimes were committed by the Russian army and that it is now necessary to find those responsible,” Emmanuel Macron said.
“Yes, I called it genocide,” Joe Biden said
US President Joe Biden on Tuesday, the day regional authorities in the country’s southeast put the death toll at at least 20,000, accused his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of committing a “genocide” in Ukraine for the first time since late February. The word was previously used by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but never by the US government: “Yes, I called it genocide,” Joe Biden told reporters during a trip to Iowa, hours after mentioning the term during a speech , dedicated to fighting inflation.