Twitter TF1 screenshot
WAR IN UKRAINE – Emmanuel Macron described this Wednesday, April 6 on TF1 as “unfounded” and “scandalous” the criticisms of Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on his telephone interviews with Vladimir Poutine about the war in ukraine.
“These remarks are both unfounded and scandalous, but they do not surprise me”, because Mateusz Morawieckisupported by “a far-right party”, “interferes in the French political campaign” after having “several times received Madame (Marine) Le Pen”, whom he “supports”, declared the French president-candidate , addressing in passing a discreet tackle to his main political opponent in view of the presidential election.
“I fully assume having constantly, on behalf of France, spoken to the President of Russia to avoid war and build a new architecture of peace in Europe several years ago”, defended himself. Emmanuel Macron.
“I have always worked to talk with Russia” and “I have constantly discussed to obtain a ceasefire, a humanitarian truce, as Chancellor Scholz does in Germany or other heads of state and government in Europe. I think it’s my duty, it’s without complacency and without naivety”, he added on the set of TF1.
“Would you negotiate with Hitler?”
However, this position is quite rare for the Head of State. Monday, after a macabre weekend following the revelations about the atrocities committed in the city of Boutcha in UkraineMateusz Morawiecki had openly criticized the French president for his discussions with the head of the Kremlin.
Addressing the French President directly, he said: “Mr. President Macron, how many times have you negotiated with Mr. Putin? What did you get? Did you stop any of these actions that took place? Do not negotiate or argue with criminals”.
“Criminals must be fought. No one negotiated with Hitler! Would you negotiate with Hitler? With Stalin? With Pol Pot? We are dealing with a terrible crime, Russia is responsible for a genocide”, he added in cold anger.
A “role apart” of Macron, according to Peskov
This Wednesday, Dmitri Peskovspokesman for Vladimir Putin, had also welcomed this unique relationship between President Macron and his Russian counterpart in an interview with the LCI channel, praising the role of Emmanuel Macron since the start of the conflict in Ukraine.
France played a “separate role in the negotiations”, says the Kremlin spokesman. “President Macron’s efforts are greatly appreciated. We appreciate the ongoing dialogue that takes place with President Vladimir Putin,” he added, noting that few countries can afford to do the same.
Promoting dialogue with France, Dmitry Peskov compared the relationship with Emmanuel Macron to that of the President of the United States vis-à-vis Russia.
“President Biden is a little different, he has chosen the path of personal attacks, so this limits the possibilities of dialogue”, notes Peskov, who nevertheless underlines that a “potential danger” of a total breakdown in relations between Russia and the Westerners is not to be ruled out after the expulsion by many European countries of Russian diplomats present on their soil.
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