Translated material
Coincided with "chemistry"
How did the meeting of the heads of France and Germany go in Paris
Mertz and Macron on the porch of the Champs Elysees. Photo: Yuri Safronov / "New Gazeta"
In Paris, the freshly elected Chancellor Mertz visited the first international visit. At a joint press conference with Macron (and during a working lunch), they talked: about the “restart” of franco-German relations, which are the key to stability in the EU, about strengthening European defense, about the confrontation between Trump’s trade policy, about the trading contract with Merkosur* (for which Paris and Berlin have a different position), but the main attention was paid to discussing the situation in Ukraine. At a press conference, Macron expressed doubt that Putin would observe the declared truce from May 8 to 10. And he urged the Kremlin owner to “restrain the word”, “given to the Americans” - about the complete stop of hostilities.
At the same time, the leaders of Germany and France left two other important issues regarding Ukraine. Chancellor Mertz once again said that Germany was considering the possibility of supplying Taurus long -range missiles, but did not confirm the supply finally and did not inform how much this could be done.
DW ** notes that although the new government coalition “wants to continue to support Ukraine,“ it remains unclear how military assistance will continue ”and“ the decision on the issue (“Taurus”) has not yet been made. ” It is known that although Mertz has recently spoke “for”, the ex-chancellor and participant in the coalition of Scholts (SDPG) was unshakable against.
Macron, by the way, noted: whether there will be some kind of weapon or not-it is not necessary, more precisely-it is completely undesirable to talk about it in advance.
The French leader once again stated that he considers such behavior (“ strategic ambiguity ”) the most correct in relation to the issue of supporting Ukraine. He emphasized: your (journalists) questions about this and our answers are listening carefully in Russia.
To the question of whether Germany will participate in the “Coalition of those who wish”, which Paris and London are trying to create, Mertz replied: “Until a constant ceasefire (...) is not reached, we cannot provide specific information about the scale of security guarantees.” He noted: “From the point of view (Germany), it is important”, “in order for the United States to participate” in negotiations, in order to “really come to a peaceful agreement, to a diplomatic decision from Russia, which goes beyond the upcoming weekend”. He said: “The Ukrainian side is ready”, the case is for Moscow.
Speaking of the “upcoming weekend”, Mertz meant a three -day truce declared by Putin.
Macron, in turn, suggested that the Russian initiative would not be met by the initiator himself. He said: “... Is the Russian president really really configured seriously? Is he finally ready to restrain his word, especially the one he gave during the discussions with the American administration? This is what is important to us. ”
Macron did not give any details about how negotiations are moving on the creation of the “Coalition of those who wish”, and Merts also emphasized that it is extremely important for Germany that European peacekeepers (after a complete ceasefire) have support from the United States. He said: “*** In Ukraine, it will not end without even more political and military participation of the United States, Europeans cannot replace them with this.” At the same time, Macron, I recall, said at the end of March-after the meeting of thirty countries and possible participants in the coalition in Paris-that European peacekeepers will definitely be in Ukraine, even if the United States (although this is an undesirable option for France) will eventually refuse to support them. There was no clear answer from Washington on this issue for at least the third month - at the end of February it was known (although negotiations probably began earlier) that Macron tried to achieve Trump's consent during their meeting in the White House .
Mertz at a press conference also replied that his possible visit to Ukraine is “preparing”. At the same time, several sources note that a “visit-senerprise” is possible “in the coming days”,
And the Creators of the surprise will be Mertz, Macron and Prime Minister of Great Britain Starkmer, who are going to come together.
Sources of the Intelligence Online note that such a visit would be a “response to the celebration of May 9 in Moscow” and the mission to certify Ukrainians in the invariability of support from three key countries in Europe. Important and thousands of times repeated words about the “invariability” of help and its continuation “as long as Ukraine is necessary,” Macron and Mertz repeated today.
Macron made one new important statement-on the creation of the Franco-German Council for Defense and Security, which "will be regularly collected to provide operational answers to general strategic challenges." Mertz once again confirmed his desire to put Germany under the “nuclear umbrella” of France and Great Britain - a step that will mean a significant departure from the traditional orientation of the Germans to the United States. However, the Chancellor noted that this “option” (which “we want to discuss with France and Great Britain”) is considered “an addition to what we already have with our American partners within NATO.”
In general, the meeting of the many-year president of France and the new German chancellor was warm, and right during the press conference, the Elisean Palace sent to reporters a link to a joint article by Macron and Mercke, which appeared in the Figaro newspaper, under the heading of “it is necessary to revise the Franco-German relations for Europe”. It will now be much easier to revise how the diplomatic source of Novaya hopes - Macron with Merz, while “Chemistry” develops much better than with an extremely careful and inaccessative chancellor Sholts. Macron, including repeatedly with irony, spoke about the “indecisive” policy of Scholts regarding the help of Ukraine.