After a meeting on the war in Ukraine at the Elysée, the leaders of parties divided on the sending of troops

Several party leaders hammered, Thursday, February 20, when they left a meeting with Emmanuel Macron, that France had to make his voice heard in the new concert of the nations imposed by Donald Trump but remained divided on the message to wear, as well as on the possible sending of troops to Ukraine.

“You have to have a very clear message (…) Europe will have to be a pillar ”said Marine Tondelier for Ecologists, calling for “Only count on ourselves”at the end of the meeting which lasted almost four hours at the Elysée. “The voice of France and Europe today is quite isolated”replied to LCI the mayor of Perpignan, Louis Aliot, who represented the national rally in the absence of the president of the far -right party, Jordan Bardella, expected in Washington for a rally of the Conservatives.

President Macron, surrounded by the Prime Minister, François Bayrou, the chief of staff of the armies, Thierry Burckhard, and an external intelligence manager, explained to a dozen parties of parties and parliamentary groups the situation in Ukraine and the “Existential threat” What does Russia represent Russia, when the American president, Donald Trump, is getting closer to it and distances himself from Europe.

On the side of France Insoumise, Manuel Bompard deemed interesting “To hear for the first time the president use the term non-alignment” vis-à-vis the United States, but deplored that the Atlantic Alliance remains perceived as “An obligation in security architecture” future of Europe.

“France must make its voice heard”

“France must make its voice heard because it has an original and strong voice to carry” As a nuclear power and permanent member of the UN Security Council, added the national secretary of the PCF, Fabien Roussel. On the other hand, he worried that Mr. Macron hinted that he should be “Possibly prepare to continue to support Ukraine and to be with Ukraine militarily if Ukraine wanted to continue the war”.

Mr. Macron assured Tuesday in the regional press that “France is not preparing to send troops to the ground, belligerent in a conflict, on the front”. On the other hand, he mentioned the possibility of“Send experts, even troops in limited terms, outside of any conflict zone, to consolidate the Ukrainians and sign solidarity”. As well as that “To have, under the United Nations mandate, a peacekeeping operation, which would be held along the front line”.

Ukraine demands security guarantees, including the deployment of foreign troops along the front line and membership in NATO, to dissuade Russia from any new future offensive. “The question of troops was only raised as being able to be only at the end of the conclusion of a peace agreement”noted Manuel Bompard.

On the government's majority side, Gabriel Attal (Renaissance), Edouard Philippe (Horizons) and Marc Fesneau (Modem) were present, as well as Michèle Tabarot for the Les Républicains party.

On the far right of the chessboard, Eric Ciotti (UDR), ally of Marine Le Pen (RN), deplored that France has engaged in “A very belligerent vision” and that it is taken now “Reverse” by Donald Trump. A debate without vote is scheduled for early March in Parliament, on the consequences of the geopolitical context in Europe for France.