Russia enjoys humiliating Macron after NATO refuses to send ground troops

Russia appears to be relishing French President Emmanuel Macron's gaffe this week when he suggested NATO countries had discussed the possibility of deploying Western ground forces in Ukraine, saying such a possibility could not be “ruled out.”

Macron's proposal was widely – and publicly – rejected by NATO member states yesterday. The United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Poland and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg were among the countries that denied that sending ground troops to Ukraine was an option.

The Kremlin was quick to exploit the comments on Tuesday, warning that any move to deploy Western forces on the ground in Ukraine would lead to an “inevitable” conflict between NATO and Russia. Since then, Russian officials have dominated Russia's state-run media, reveling in the apparent division in NATO and Macron's apparent misreading of NATO's mood.

Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and prime minister, said Macron suffered from a bout of “incontinence of speech” while Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said Macron's “loud statements” “terrified the population of his country and the leaders of a number of European countries.” “.

“To preserve his personal power, Macron has come up with nothing better than starting a third world war,” Volodin said on Telegram. “His initiatives have become dangerous for French citizens,” comparing the French president to the French leader and military leader Napoleon Bonaparte, whom he invaded. The invasion of Russia in 1812 is widely known as a military disaster for France that resulted in a massive number of casualties.

“Before making such statements, Macron would do well to remember how things ended for Napoleon and his soldiers, more than 600,000 of whom were left lying on the wet ground,” Volodin said, referring to the muddy conditions that hampered the French invasion.

The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed on Wednesday that Ukraine faces a “catastrophic” situation on the front – where Russia is currently enjoying a wave of small territorial gains in eastern Ukraine – and that Macron's statement did not help the country.

“The situation on the front for the Kiev regime is brutal and disastrous,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Sputnik radio station.

She claimed that NATO countries' denials of their plans to send ground troops to Ukraine showed that the West “betrayed Ukraine and will continue to use and betray it,” repeating Moscow's baseless claims that Western countries are using Ukraine to destroy Russia.

Macron's controversial statements came on Monday evening, after he hosted European heads of state and representatives of the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada for talks in Paris on how best to help Ukraine.

After the conference, Macron said the discussions also covered the possibility of deploying ground forces, although he said there was no agreement on this issue.

“There is no consensus today to send troops officially, publicly and with consent on the ground. But in terms of dynamics, nothing should be ruled out,” Macron said at a press conference on Monday evening, adding that the allies “will do everything they can.” “Necessary to ensure that Russia cannot win this war.”

French opposition lawmakers attacked Macron for making the comments, with hard-right National Rally party leader Marine Le Pen stating on Channel “.

French Foreign Minister Stephane Ségourne tried to ease tensions in the French parliament on Tuesday without responding to Macron's comments, saying French forces could take on non-combat roles instead of actively fighting in Ukraine.

“We must consider new measures to support Ukraine,” he told lawmakers. “They must respond to very specific needs, and I am thinking in particular of demining, cyber defense and on-site weapons production on Ukrainian territory.”

He said, “Some of its actions may require a presence on Ukrainian territory without crossing the threshold of combat. Nothing should be ruled out. This was and remains the position of the President of the Republic today.”

France appeared increasingly isolated throughout Tuesday, with the White House also distancing itself from Macron's comments.

John Kirby, spokesman for the US National Security Council, told reporters yesterday that any decision to deploy ground forces is a “sovereign decision,” but it is not the decision that the United States will make in Ukraine.

When asked about Macron's comments, Kirby said, “Well, this is a sovereign decision that each NATO ally must make for itself. You heard me.” [NATO] Secretary General Stoltenberg himself says he has no plans or intentions – certainly under NATO auspices – to put troops on the ground. President Biden has been crystal clear from the beginning of this conflict. There will be no American forces on the ground to play a combat role there. in Ukraine.”

Russian analysts said Macron's comments were a gift to the Kremlin, and would be fully exploited by Russia's propaganda machine at home and abroad.

The Elysee Palace sought to clarify and defend France's position on the issue on Tuesday, with a spokesman stating, “We want to avoid escalation. Let me remind you that we are not at war with the Russian people, but we cannot allow this.” “Russia wins in Ukraine.”

Timothy Ash, emerging markets strategist at BlueBay Asset Management, was among those who questioned France's “foreign policy sense on anything related to Russia and Ukraine.”

“Stupid comments from Macron,” Ashe said in emailed comments on Tuesday. “Ukraine doesn’t need Western boots on the ground — it needs Western military hardware to do the job of defeating Russia itself.”

Ash said that “talk about the presence of Western forces on the ground is very damaging” because it “plays a role in reinforcing Putin’s narrative about NATO’s expansion to the east, that this is NATO’s war with Russia” and “plays a role in reinforcing similar narratives that are being promoted in World War II.” “. South,” referring to countries often described as “developing” economies with which Russia wants to develop relations.

He noted that the comments were likely to be “exploited by Putin's allies in the Republican Party.” [the Republican Party] To procrastinate agreeing on military support and financing for Ukraine.”

“What the American public does not want is American boots on the ground in another foreign conflict. But the beauty of Western support for Ukraine so far is that it has not required Western boots on the ground, but through modest financial spending that has had a significant impact.” “This will have a devastating impact on Russia’s military capability,” Ash said.