War in Ukraine, fuel shortage, demonstrations in Iran … What to remember from the interview with Emmanuel Macron in “L’Evénement” on France 2 – franceinfo

His word was expected about many crises. Emmanuel Macron was the guest of the first issue of “L’Evénement”, the new political program of France 2, Wednesday, October 12. He answered questions from journalist Caroline Roux. >> REPLAY: find the interview with Emmanuel Macron in “L’Evénement” on France 2 The interview was devoted to international news, but allowed us to hear the Head of State on the burning subject of fuel shortage. The Head of State will also be the guest of the second edition, on October 26, this time to discuss French domestic policy. We summarize his main statements on international politics. A desire to continue to talk to Vladimir Putin “Whenever necessary, I will talk to Vladimir Putin”: Emmanuel Macron has swept aside criticism about his telephone interviews with the Russian president. Volodymyr Zelensky, in particular, accuses him of granting legitimacy to the person responsible for the invasion of Ukraine. The President of the Republic considers that this dialogue remains necessary in the hope of a return to peace. “At some point, I hope as soon as possible, all the stakeholders will have to come back to a discussion table,” said Emmanuel Macron. Negotiations excluded by Russia, but also by Ukraine. “Negotiating does not mean giving up”, launched the Head of State to the address of the Ukrainians, setting as objective “respect for the territorial integrity of Ukraine”. Earlier, he had stressed that kyiv wanted a return “to the 1991 borders”, including all of Donbass and Crimea, and not simply a return to the situation on the eve of the February invasion. The announcement of the dispatch of anti-aircraft defense systems after the recent Russian strikes After the salvo of Russian missiles which hit several major cities of the country, including kyiv, on Monday, Volodymyr Zelensky asked for help from his supporters to create a “shield” over Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron responded to it on Wednesday evening, as Germany and the United States had already done. France will deliver to kyiv “radar and systems with anti-aircraft missiles”, “in the coming weeks”, assured the head of state. They will serve “in particular to protect them from drone attacks and missile attacks”. France had already delivered anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion. Emmanuel Macron also confirmed the announcement, made in early October, of the delivery of six additional Caesar artillery guns, taken from an order for Denmark. This would bring to 24 the number of these guns supplied to the Ukrainian army. The President of the Republic also responded to criticism of the small quantity of weapons sent by France to Ukraine, compared to other states such as Norway. “I have to keep some of them for ourselves, to protect ourselves or the eastern flank [de l’Otan]”, he justified, recalling in particular that Paris has just reinforced the arsenal posted in Romania. Faced with the shortage of fuel, a call for the “responsibility” of unions and companies to the demand for fuel “in the course of the coming week”, estimated Emmanuel Macron, the day after the announcement by the government of the requisition of employees to reopen certain depots blocked by a strike. in “seven to ten days,” the head of state’s entourage told France Télévisions. On the set of “L’Evénement”, he said he had “a thought for all of our compatriots who queues in the middle of the night to find gasoline”. The President of the Republic criticized the attitude of the unions at the origin of the social movement. “Let the CGT allow the country to function”, he said. -he responded to the announcement of the filing by the latter of a legal action against the requisition s. “I am for negotiation, not for blocking.” Emmanuel Macron launched “a call for responsibility” both “to the employees and the unions which represent them” but also “to the leaders of these companies”, which he recalled had made very high profits thanks to of the energy crisis. “You don’t get to these situations when there’s only one side. It’s important that the management [de Total] get back around the table”, just like the unions. The President of the Republic made no announcements, and he defended the timing of the government’s action. It would not have been possible to avoid shortages by deciding to requisition employees from the start of the strikes, he believes, because company negotiations had not been successful: “You would have said ‘you are preventing social dialogue from taking place’. (…) We cannot substitute ourselves for everyone”. The requisitions are moreover limited, for the moment, to the sites of Esso-ExxonMobil, because an agreement has been reached between the management of the company and part of the unions. This is not the case at Total. In this company, “if the social dialogue does not succeed in the next few hours, we will requisition”, he however assured. to demonstrators in Iran “France very clearly condemns the repressions carried out today by the Iranian regime and we stand alongside these women” who have been demonstrating since September after the death of the young Mahsa Amini, said Emmanuel Macron He declared “his admiration” for the demonstrators who dispute the obligation to wear the veil and the grip of the morality police. France cannot intervene in their favor, he believes however: “We cannot not shape the destiny of peoples for them. (…) Today, what is happening in Iran, we must defend it, say it, support it. We cannot replace it.” Emmanuel Macron justified shaking hands with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raïssi on September 20 during a UN summit in New York: “Diplomacy is agreeing to talk with people who do not share your values, who do not share your principles, with whom you do not agree”. The promise to “not let go” of Armenia Emmanuel Macron was also asked about the new deadly clashes , in September, on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “We will not let go of the Armenians and Armenians”, he promised, congratulating himself on having participated in negotiations between the leaders of the two countries in Prague. He accused Russia, whose soldiers deployed there did not prevent anything, of working against Armenia: “She obviously played Azerbaijan’s game, with Turkish complicity”, believes the leader of the state. “What is happening here is a maneuver to destabilize Russia which, in s the Caucasus, seeks to create disorder to weaken and divide us all”. The fact that several EU countries buy gas from Azerbaijan does not change the support given to Armenia, assured Emmanuel Macron: “Our values, our principles, cannot be bought either with gas, nor with petrol.”