A month and a half before the presidential election in France, it is difficult to ignore the Ukrainian crisis, which has just experienced a major development on Thursday, February 24, with the launch of a military operation by Vladimir Putin. We summarize the reactions of the candidates for the Elysee Palace who have already spoken.
>> Follow the evolution of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in our live
Emmanuel Macronwho has not yet announced his candidacy, called on Moscow to “immediately end its military operations”. The head of state said on Twitter his solidarity with Ukraine and convened a defense council at 9 a.m. at the Elysée. In recent days, he had repeated his attachment to the territorial integrity of Ukraine and had increased his efforts to reach a diplomatic settlement of the conflict, without however deciding clearly on the possible integration of Ukraine into NATO, an option that feeds the wrath of Moscow.
Her Republican rival, Valerie Pécressecondemned on Twitter “with the greatest firmness the war started by Russia in Ukraine” and reaffirmed her “total solidarity with the Ukrainian people”. “The response from France and Europe must be vigorous, coordinated and severe”, she adds. She had on her side already said that an iUkraine’s integration into NATO was not “on today’s agenda”during a meeting in mid-February.
The far-right candidate’s team Eric Zemmour for his part indicated that he condemned “without reservation the Russian military intervention which began last night in Ukraine”. He was doing so far right to Moscow’s demands. “We need a peaceful, peaceful agreement, and for that there is a simple condition: we must commit that Ukraine will never join NATO”he judged at the beginning of February on France Interbelieving that “Vladimir Putin’s claim is completely legitimate”.
The candidate of La France insoumise, Jean-Luc Melenchonquickly denounced him “an initiative of pure violence manifesting an immeasurable will to power” in a statement Thursday morning. And to add that“An unbearable escalation is being provoked. Russia is taking responsibility for a terrible setback in history. It is creating the immediate danger of a generalized conflict”. A few days ago, he felt on France 2 that the North Atlantic organization was “without a doubt” the aggressor in the Ukrainian conflict.
The communist candidate Fabien Roussel considers himself that “The Russian president is choosing war. He is choosing to violate international law. This is a serious situation, which could become a new world war”. On France 2, he called Vladimir Poutine a “nationalist president, tough”but also lambasted Kyiv for “not having wanted to respect the Minsk agreements”.
The Russian President chooses war.
He decides to violate international rules.Everything must be done for the return of peace!#UkraineRussia pic.twitter.com/Pl0S2yDkD4
— Fabien Roussel (@Fabien_Roussel) February 24, 2022
He had already come out in favor of a “area of peace and collective security” for the peoples of Europe, including Ukraine and Russia. And sent the noise back to back “boots of Russian soldiers or those of NATO soldiers”.
The candidate of Workers’ Struggle, Nathalie Arthaud, “denounces” her too “Russian Intervention in Ukraine”just like her “denounces NATO, warmonger and main military force in Eastern Europe”. The far-left candidate expresses her “solidarity with the people”.
“Vladimir Putin has just started a war on our continent”also observed the environmental candidate Yannick Jadotcondemning “an unprecedented aggression since the Second World War against a European country”. With his rival Anne Hidalgo, he is one of the candidates who has advocated in recent days a European response to the Russian attitude.
Vladimir Putin has just unleashed a war on our continent.
This is an attack unprecedented since the Second World War against a European country, against a democracy. I condemn it in the strongest terms.#UkraineRussia
—Yannick Jadot (@yjadot) February 24, 2022
The environmental candidate had notably affirmed that “It is the dictator Vladimir Putin who threatens democracy in Ukraine”.
On his side, Anne Hidalgo “condemns in the strongest terms the brutal attack ordered by Vladimir Putin”. On her Twitter account, the socialist candidate expresses her “solidarity” and his “support with Ukraine and its people. We must react firmly to this unjustified and criminal act”. At the end of January, she regretted on RTL that the EU is “too passive” in this file.
At last, Christiane Taubira launched Thursday morning: “It is no longer an aggression, an attack, a violation of borders, it is war”. For her, “It is at this level that France, the European Union, the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the UN must react”.