Political scientist: Macron will be politically trampled because of proposals to Putin not coordinated with NATO
Photo: Volodymyr Tarasov / globallookpress.com
A possible proposal by French President Emmanuel Macron to give Ukraine a neutral status would suit everyone. But if the Frenchman did not coordinate his initiatives with NATO, he could be hit politically. So says a military expert, political scientist, development director of the Fund for Assistance to Technologies of the 21st Century, Ivan Konovalov. He told Lente.ru about this.
Macron, during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, made him several proposals that were not agreed with other partners of Paris, according to the Daily Mail. So, according to unconfirmed information, he proposed to secure a neutral status for Ukraine, thereby excluding the possibility for it to join NATO.
At the same time, Macron's proposals had not previously received approval from Paris' allies in the North Atlantic Alliance, including the UK. According to British government sources, the French president did not even try to consult with NATO partners before negotiations with Putin.
There is no agreement in NATO
Macron's proposal would suit everyone, Konovalov believes. “Ukraine with a neutral status would end that belt of buffers between Russia and NATO, which also includes Finland and Belarus,” the military expert explained. Assigning a neutral status to Ukraine would not only reduce the tension in the world community, but would also restore the balance of power in Europe, he said.
But no one will let this proposal come true in NATO, Konovalov believes. “There is Poland, known for its position, which will use any methods of pressure to make NATO become more and more anti-Russian organization. And this is just one of the examples that demonstrates the situation with consent in NATO – it is not there. Of course, the top of the entire United States, ”said the political scientist.
The situation of the smoldering conflict in Ukraine is necessary and useful for the Americans, Konovalov stressed. They understand, the expert noted, that if Ukraine has a neutral status, then many issues will be removed and problems solved.
Then all the rulers in Ukraine from 2014 will have to raise their hands and say we were wrong, because the main stake of all nationalist forces was Ukraine's entry into NATO
Ivan KonovalovPolitical scientist
“Macron will be politically trampled”
Macron tried to try on the role of former French President Charles de Gaulle, voicing a proposal on Ukraine, Konovalov said. However, the current French leader lacks certain qualities for this. “The great French leader at one time was very independent in terms of NATO policy. It all ended with the fact that he drove NATO out of Paris and sent it to Brussels. True, it later cost him his presidency, since a student revolution was staged in retaliation, ”the political scientist explained.
With his proposal, Macron wanted to demonstrate to the electorate that it was he who first proposed peace, Konovalov is sure.
Mr. Macron proposed this only so that the most acceptable solution would come out of his mouth. He will, of course, be politically trampled under foot and pointed to his place within NATO and the European Union, and that will be the end of it. But he played his part. Moreover, he has elections soon. He showed his constituents that he wanted to bring peace
Ivan KonovalovPolitical scientist
The talks between the leaders of the two countries were held in the Kremlin on February 7 and lasted more than five hours. As a result, Putin said that the meeting with Macron was held in a businesslike manner, it was meaningful and useful. The head of state also specified that he had discussed with the French president the issues of non-expansion of NATO and the situation around Ukraine.
Later, the Financial Times, citing sources, reported that during the negotiations, Putin and Macron allegedly made a deal with each other. In particular, it was noted that the Russian president promised to withdraw more than 30,000 troops from Belarus after the end of the exercises, as well as not to take new military initiatives and to conduct a dialogue on the deployment of Russian troops. The Kremlin denied this information.
