“It’s communication”, tempers General Dominique Trinquand

“It’s about communication in a somewhat difficult period for the Russian president”, tempers this Sunday, on franceinfo, General Dominique Trinquand, former head of the French military mission to the UN. He was reacting to Ukraine’s request to urgently convene the UN Security Council, in response to Moscow’s announcement on the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus. For Dominique Trinquand, this announcement from Moscow aims “to react” while the Russian army “stomp” in Ukraine.

franceinfo: Is Vladimir Putin bluffing or is he a real threat in your opinion?

General Dominique Trinquand: It’s communication. In his communication, President Putin says that the infrastructures are in the process of being completed and that he will be able to transfer the weapons so effectively they are not transferred. It’s about communication. I recall that Belarus changed its status a little over a year ago by agreeing to have nuclear weapons when it was considered a nuclear-free country after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

So, in your opinion, is it good communication?

The main purpose of Vladimir Putin’s statement is to make us react, which is the case, because as soon as we talk about nuclear power everyone panics a bit. It is therefore about communication in a somewhat difficult period for the Russian president, in particular because the Russian offensive is stalling.

On the ground Russia is still in great difficulty according to you?

Yes of course. The country cannot make progress in Ukraine. Since December, the army has been trampling. Ukraine is preparing an offensive and I think that Russia, despite everything, fears this offensive which will probably take place at the end of the spring with Western armament, personnel trained in the West, stocks of ammunition supplied by the West and preparation, if only in intelligence, also provided by the West. The Ukrainians are very supported while the Russians are only supported by themselves. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit last week also failed to show military support.