French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, January 6, urged Ukraine to have "realistic" expectations on territory as its fight against the Russian invasion heads into a fourth year. Speaking to French ambassadors about a range of foreign policy topics, he said he saw no "quick and easy solution" to the conflict.
Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, is currently occupying about 20 percent of the neighboring country's territory. Both sides are looking to secure a better position on the battlefield before United States President-elect Donald Trump's January 20 inauguration.
"There will be no quick and easy solution in Ukraine," Macron said in a speech to French ambassadors gathered at the Elysée Palace. At the same time he warned that Ukrainians needed to have "realistic discussions on territorial issues."
Trump has promised to bring a swift end to nearly three years of fighting, without offering any concrete proposals for a ceasefire or peace deal. "The United States of America must help us to change the nature of the situation and convince Russia to come to the negotiating table," Macron said. "The new American president knows himself that the United States has no chance of winning anything if Ukraine loses," Macron said.
The Europeans will have to offer "security guarantees" for Ukraine, he added. He also warned that the credibility of Western countries would be "shattered" if they agreed to compromise on Ukraine because of "fatigue." "A capitulation by Ukraine cannot be good for Europeans and Americans," the French president said.
In another part of his speech, Macron said the West must be clear-eyed about the new authorities in Syria after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad and promised France would not abandon Kurdish fighters. "We must regard the regime change in Syria without naivety," Macron said in a speech to French ambassadors after Islamist-led forces toppled Assad last month, adding France would not abandon "freedom fighters, like the Kurds" who are fighting extremist groups in Syria.
Further in the Middle East, Macron also said Iran was "the main strategic and security challenge for France, the Europeans, the entire region and beyond," citing the acceleration of its nuclear programme and support for Russia's war against Ukraine, adding the issue would be a key subject of discussion with the new administration of US president-elect Trump.
Macron also accused Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of social media platform X, of intervening in elections, including Germany's snap legislative polls next month. "Ten years ago, who could have imagined it if we had been told that the owner of one of the largest social networks in the world would support a new international reactionary movement and intervene directly in elections, including in Germany," Macron said, while also adding that US President-elect Donald Trump "knows he has a strong ally in France."