According to sources cited by Politico, French President Emmanuel Macron stated during a meeting at the Élysée that Ukraine's fall could happen very soon. The newspaper reported that Macron held a political meeting yesterday in the Élysée Palace, where the upcoming European Parliament elections were also discussed.
European foreign affairs commissioner Josep Borrell remarked yesterday that it would be difficult for the European Union to allocate the 50 billion euros promised to Kyiv if the United States stops supporting Ukraine.
For his part, the Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces, General Thierry Burkhard, said that the role of Western countries in Ukraine may not be limited to supplying weapons, but could extend further. Burkhard told reporters in Paris at the end of his meeting with his Swedish counterpart, Mikael Tistou, on Thursday that "the war will end when Russia stops its attack." He noted that the Russian military operation is "based on the idea that the West will never go to Ukraine, but will only supply weapons."
He added: "We must show Russian President Vladimir Putin that he cannot rely on this logic for the long term, as this idea is incorrect." He pointed out that "the war in Ukraine worries us because we are dealing with its consequences. Therefore, Europeans must be able to bear risks to ensure the security of Europe in the next decade." Burkhard explained that Macron's intention is to make Vladimir Putin understand that we are aware of what is at stake in Ukraine.
