France eyes coordinated Russia sanctions with U.S. in days
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, stated that European countries aim to impose sanctions on Russia in coordination with the United States. He expressed the belief that these sanctions could be applied "in the coming days" if Russia does not implement a ceasefire.
In a televised interview, Macron was questioned about Russia’s willingness to engage in talks in Turkey regarding a ceasefire in the war against Ukraine. "Our security is at stake in Ukraine," emphasized the president. "We want a ceasefire on land, at sea, and in the air for 30 days. Russia wants the issue of a ceasefire to be discussed in Türkiye."
Our intention is to impose new sanctions against Russia in the coming days, said Macron.
He mentioned secondary sanctions related to the sale of financial services as well as oil and gas. He also noted that currently, there is no legal framework allowing the seizure of frozen Russian assets.
Macron indicated that a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine should open the door for territorial negotiations. He added that "even Ukraine admits it cannot recover all territories seized in the conflict with Russia."
The French president stated that Europe will continue to invest to "deter Russia from returning in two or three years to Ukraine." He assured us of support for Ukraine in the coming years.
Will France share nuclear weapons?
Macron reminded that the French nuclear doctrine has a "European dimension" and explained that he wanted to work "with all partners who wish it" to "see if we can go further." He then added three conditions:
France will not pay for the security of others and will not reduce its own security needs. The third condition, he stated, is that "the final decision will always rest with the president of the republic, as the head of the armed forces."
When responding to a journalist's remark about Poles desiring "French nuclear bombs on their territory, just like the Americans do for certain European countries," Macron pointed out the presence of American planes in countries such as Germany, Italy, and Turkey. He reiterated, "We are ready to open this discussion. I will define the framework in an official manner in the coming weeks and months."
Macron argued that for Europeans to preserve their freedom, they need to be prepared to defend themselves, act in solidarity, and maintain a credible deterrent.
