“Russia will return”Macron: Trump relies on Europe for Ukraine plan
Trump’s plan to end Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine has been rejected by his partners. Emmanuel Macron saw the need for change and urged European countries to have a say.
According to French President Emmanuel Macron, several points of the US plan to end Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine cannot be implemented without the agreement of European partners. On the sidelines of the G20 summit in Johannesburg, Macron cited examples of elements relating to the use of funds held in the EU by Russia’s central bank as well as NATO, the G8 and relations between Ukraine and the EU.
“The frozen assets are held by Europe. European integration of Ukraine is in Europe’s hands. What NATO does is in the hands of NATO member countries,” he said. So there are many things that require broader coordination.” They want peace, but a peace that takes into account the security interests of Ukraine and other European countries.
“We know that if there are no elements of deterrence, Russia will go back and break its promises,” Macron said. This has been seen several times in the past, most notably in February 2022, when Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin ordered his armed forces to invade Ukraine. Elements of the US plan that limit the size of the Ukrainian army also limit the country’s sovereignty.
With the aim of reviving the G8 summit of major industrial nations as envisaged in the US plan, Macron stressed that this would only be possible if all members of the current G7 group agreed to this. Currently, there are no conditions for Russia to rejoin, stressed Macron, who will host next year’s G7 summit.
The goal of Macron and other European countries is to negotiate what they consider unacceptable concessions by Russia under America’s 28-point plan. The US proposal, for example, stipulates that Ukraine also cede territory it previously defended to Russia, limit its military capabilities, and that NATO express opposition to any expansion. In contrast, Russia would only have to make relatively small concessions.
With regard to the EU, the agreement stipulates that Ukraine should have preferential access to European markets in the short term until Ukraine is admitted. It also determines how Russian state assets held in the EU should be used for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
