“The only option is de-escalation”, says Bruno Le Maire

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Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Moscow on Monday to meet Vladimir Putin on the Ukrainian crisis, “is more than necessary”, says Bruno Le Maire, Minister of Economy, Finance and Recovery, guest of France Inter on Tuesday February 8. “The only option is the one that the president defends, it is de-escalation”he defends. “There is no other way than that of direct dialogue with Vladimir Putin”continues Bruno Le Maire, who foresees that he “will last for days”.

According to him, “the escalation of the conflict will create insurmountable difficulties for all”, particularly from an economic point of view, the risk being “a new surge in the price of gas” and “by repercussion, a new surge in the price of electricity”. “That’s all we want to avoid”insists the Minister. “Our path is not one of confrontation, not one of escalation”he repeats.

There is, for Bruno Le Maire, “three stakes” behind this conflict between Europe and Russia over the Ukrainian situation. The first issue is that of Europe’s energy independence “to be able to stand up to Vladimir Putin”. The second issue, “it is that of respect for the borders and sovereignty of Ukraine, of its freedom of decision”. According to the Minister for the Economy, it is on this issue that Europeans are “to the wall” and “must show their firmness”. The third issue is the place of Russia. “Does it dialogue, cooperate with Europe or does it completely switch to the side of China?”, he wonders.

“You have to measure that for years, the Ukrainians have been losing soldiers on the border of Donbass and Russia, young people who are 20-22 years old”laments Bruno Le Maire, while Emmanuel Macron must now go to Kiev, Ukraine. “Showing composure in the face of such an ordeal when you have tens of thousands of Russian troops massed on your border is to be commended”emphasizes Bruno Le Maire.

“Providing support to Kiev, to President Volodymyr Zelensky, to the Ukrainian people, that’s what the president of the European Union in office must do and that’s what Emmanuel Macron does.”

Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy

at France Inter

In addition, Bruno Le Maire calls for not “not to be led by the Americans into a position that is not that of the Europeans” because “Europeans have different interests” and “an independent position”as Joe Biden threatens to block the Nord Stream 2 undersea gas pipeline project built by Gazprom between Russia and Germany. “A strategic question for Russia and Europe, one of the key elements of the solution to this conflict”he says.


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