From a NATO base in Romania, Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that “new talks with Ukraine” were needed. But he did not directly mention a visit to kyiv. As part of the President’s trip to Romania and then to Moldova, several media have indeed mentioned a visit to kyiv by Emmanuel Macron, who has not confirmed it. The Head of State has also responded to the accusations of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who accuses him of leaving the country four days before the legislative elections.
An unconfirmed visit to kyiv
Emmanuel Macron arrived Tuesday evening in Romania, to visit the 500 French soldiers deployed there since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as part of NATO. He must then go to Moldova for a support visit to this country. This is the first time that Emmanuel Macron has traveled to southeastern Europe since the start of the war on February 24. Highly anticipated, his visit to Ukraine could take place later in the week, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, according to German and Italian media.
New “in-depth” discussions necessary according to the Head of State
“At the gates of our European Union an unprecedented geopolitical situation is playing out, so yes, for all these reasons, the political context and the decisions that the European Union and several nations will have to take, justify new in-depth discussions and new progress “, declared Emmanuel Macron on this basis of NATO. “I think we are at a time when we need to send clear political signals, we European Union, with regard to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in a context where they have been resisting heroically for several months” , stressed the Head of State, alongside Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.
Arrived Tuesday evening, Emmanuel Macron dined with French soldiers on this base located not far from the strategic Black Sea, before deciding to stay overnight in a tent, not at the hotel according to the Elysée. This Wednesday morning, he had breakfast with the soldiers before meeting Romanian President Iohannis.
Accompanied by the new Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, Emmanuel Macron must then fly to Moldova. First French president to visit this country since Jacques Chirac in 1998, he will express the “support (from France) in the most direct way possible” to this former Soviet Republic, particularly affected by the Russian invasion of Ukrainewith which it has a common border.
In response to criticism from the left, Macron assures “fully play his role”
Emmanuel Macron also responded to Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s attacks on Wednesday. He assured to play “fully its role” of chief of the armies with this visit. On Tuesday, the rebellious leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon denounced in an interview with Le Parisien the “contempt” shown by Emmanuel Macron leaving the country four days before the second round of the legislative elections. “You will have to explain to me how coming to our soldiers is a form of contempt. It is a displayed respect”, replied the Head of State.
He took the opportunity to criticize the Eurosceptic positions of his opponents from the RN and Nupes. “We are a few days from the end of a French presidency of the European Union, I know that some want to leave it, weakening the country and its security and I fight it with force”, he asserted. “To be President of the Republic is also to be Chief of the Armed Forces, it is to be at the head of our diplomacy and to carry the voice of France”, underlined the President.