War in Ukraine: Jean-Luc Mélenchon explains his position on Russia

Before leaving the island, the candidate La France insoumise for the presidential election held a meeting on Saturday afternoon in Saint-Denis de la Réunion, in front of a thousand people. Attacked by a part of the left on an alleged complacency with regard to Vladimir Poutine, Jean-Luc Mélenchon tried to close the chapter by devoting half of his speech to Ukraine and by justifying his previous remarks by his “non-alignment”. “I ask that we stop the caricatures”he pleaded.

Certainly, he did say that Russia would not invade Ukraine: “It’s true, I made a mistake, but it’s not blindness.” He then targets Emmanuel Macron: “I referred to what the highest authorities in my country were saying and I was wrong to believe them!”

Second rationale: “NATO, which wants to integrate Ukraine, behaves like an aggressor”he said in recent weeks, but that was before Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine and Jean-Luc Mélenchon condemned Russia: “We have not changed our position because we condemn the Russian intervention. Since 2014, I have been repeating in all tones that we will not humiliate Russia in the long term by continuing to push NATO forward at all its doors. It’s a danger that they will never accept. We never said anything else. We denounced those who were responsible for this situation because we are not aligned.” And the candidate does not forget to charge Emmanuel Macron and his management of this new crisis: sanctions, military threats.

“I warn the President of the Republic against the temptation of cynicism, which would be after so many errors to agitate in the role which always pleases a boy, of the great soldier with his bows and his arrows.”

Jean-Luc Melenchon

at a meeting in Reunion

Jean-Luc Mélenchon knows that this international crisis could benefit the Head of State in a legitimist reflex. He tries to make sure she doesn’t harm him.