Ukrainian crisis: in Moscow, Emmanuel Macron in search of a position of balance – Le Monde

Attempt to initiate “a new process” rather than dwelling on the “differences” and the “misunderstandings” behind the deep crisis between Moscow and the West. This is the narrow path chosen by Emmanuel Macron, Monday, February 7, which is based less on really new proposals than on the belief of the French president in the strength of his voluntarism. This path was cleared during a long interview with Vladimir Putin – more than five hours in the Kremlin – which Mr. Macron sees as the starting point of a sequence that should last several weeks.

The task will be difficult, and Vladimir Putin’s first words at a press conference reminded us of this. The Russian President once again unfolded the many objects of Russian resentment, starting with the latest: the refusal of NATO and the United States to access the “security proposals” presented by Moscow. “It has been thirty years that our concerns have been neglected”underlined Mr. Putin, who also attacked the “russophobia” of the Baltic States, the betrayal of “Maidan coup”, in Ukraine, or to Alliance interventions in Afghanistan, Libya or Iraq. He nevertheless welcomed the visit of Emmanuel Macron, believing that “some of its ideas can serve as a basis for common progress”, and promised, later, to be ready for “compromise”.

Mr. Macron spared no effort to present a balanced position capable of reassuring the Russian side. Saying he was firm on the main principles governing the European continent – ​​starting with state sovereignty – and recalling Moscow’s aggression against its neighbours, he showed his understanding for Russian concerns: “There is no security for Europeans if there is no security for Russia”he said.

For the rest, Emmanuel Macron above all presented a method, a three-step action plan which gives priority to urgency and ” de-escalation “. The French president intends to obtain signals, even modest ones, from Vladimir Putin, on the “military stance” from his country. The Elysée considers that the situation is not only tense on the border with Ukraine, where 125,000 Russian soldiers are massed, according to its estimate, but also on other grounds. In particular in Belarus, where the Russians will begin on February 10 vast exercises with the army of Alexander Lukashenko and where Westerners fear to see Russia settle permanently.

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