Fuel shortage, war in Ukraine, demonstrations in Iran… what to remember from Emma’s interview

This Wednesday, October 12, Emmanuel Macron answered questions from journalist Caroline Roux in L’Événement, the new political meeting of France 2. While he will be questioned on domestic policy on October 26, the President spoke on international issues. But he also returned to the fuel shortages affecting France. An hour of discussion on international politics. And a little digression on the fuel crisis. This was the menu of L’Evènement, the new political meeting of France 2 inaugurated by Emmanuel Macron this Wednesday, October 12. Support for Ukraine and France’s place in the conflict Unsurprisingly, the conflict between Moscow and kyiv occupied a large part of the debates. The President notably returned to the support given by France to Ukraine. “We have delivered weapons and helped Ukraine on a humanitarian and economic level, detailed Emmanuel Macron. We are providing intelligence to the Ukrainians so that they can protect themselves. Is France threatening Russian soil? The answer is no.” Vladimir Putin must end this war “Russia is equipped with nuclear weapons. France too. In this regard, our doctrine is clear, he continued. Deterrence works. The less we talk about it, the less we agitate the threat and the more credible we are.” Emmanuel Macron also recalled that France has already delivered 18 Caesar guns to Ukraine. “We’re going to deliver six more. And we’re also going to deliver radars and missiles.” And Emmanuel Macron insisted: “Vladimir Putin must end this war, and return to the discussion table. At some point, it will be in Ukraine’s and Russia’s interest to return to the table and to negotiate.” The energy independence of France and Europe For Emmanuel Macron, European sanctions have “deeply destabilized” Russia. For the French President, the war is “hybrid”. “That means that we use the informational weapon, by disseminating propaganda, by using the migratory weapon, the energy weapon, the food weapon, and potentially attacks on elements of vulnerability”, said -he explains. According to him, “Europe has been too dependent on Russian gas”, and this same gas has in fact become “an instrument of war”. “We are going to obtain a profound change in the European electricity market, with, for the French, electricity that no longer depends on gas”, he promised. “Faced with this world in crisis, we must succeed in sticking to our three axes: energy sobriety, producing more nuclear power, developing more renewables, he declared, assuring that “to win the battle for the climate” the main objective is to have “virtually no more” coal-fired power plants in Europe in 2050. On the nuclear side, Emmanuel Macron gave an update on nuclear reactors in France, indicating that “30 out of 56 operations”. going to go in the next few weeks to about 40, he projected. The goal is to go to 45 in January. Everything indicates that we will achieve this objective.” Demonstrations in Iran The President of the Republic was asked to explain his meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raïssi. “Diplomacy is accepting to speak with people who do not share your values ​​and principles. We do not make the destiny of peoples for them.” However, Emmanuel Macron wanted to show clear support for the Iranians who have been demonstrating since the death of Masha Amini. “I would like to express my admiration for these women. It is a sovereign people who demand their freedom. It carries the universalism of our values. France condemns the repressions carried out by the Iranian regime.” Fuels: a “return to normal during the course of next week” If the interview was very largely oriented towards the international, Emmanuel Macron had to speak on the fuel crisis which is currently affecting France. “The return to normal is for the course of next week”, assured the President. Emmanuel Macron, once again, called on TotalEnergies and the CGT to “responsibility”. “Social dialogue must live”, he declared before specifying: “But I say it very clearly: if the social dialogue does not succeed in the next few hours, we will requisition. That the CGT allow the country to function !”