Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Some EU states formally express concerns to France over Macron Russia comments - diplomats

Some EU states formally express concerns to France over Macron Russia comments - diplomats

Baltic states and other European nations upset at comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron regarding security guarantees for Russia formally lodged disapproval and explained their position to France on Monday, diplomats said.
In an interview with French TV station TF1 on Dec. 3, Macron said Europe needed to prepare its future security architecture and also think "how to give guarantees to Russia the day it returns to the negotiating table."

Those comments were immediately rebuked by Ukraine and Baltic states. While the French presidency and foreign ministry have sought to play them down, the anger appears to not have dissipated in some circles.

The Czech Republic, which holds the EU Council presidency, helped organize support for the formal diplomatic representation, known as a "demarche".

Supporters of the demarche included the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, along with Poland and Slovakia , two diplomats said. Reuters was not able to establish how many countries in total supported the move, or whether the Czechs supported it.

The French, Czech and Slovak foreign ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Polish foreign ministry declined to comment.

The Czech Republic last week distributed a draft demarche, known as a non paper, to EU members in their capitals, the three European diplomats said. The diplomats said the paper argued that previous Russian efforts regarding European security architecture aimed to divide and weaken Europe.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, European states and NATO members have sought to maintain a united front against Moscow, launching several rounds of sanctions while providing substantial military aid to Kyiv.

The non-paper listed aspects of cooperation and dialogue with Russia, ranging from a 1997 NATO-Russsia document to proposals from December, 2021 that included guarantees demanded by Russia, the diplomats said.

Two diplomats said the Czechs, along with several other member state representatives, delivered the finalized demarche to the French foreign ministry's Director of Continental Europe on Monday.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, a French presidency official said there was nothing new in Macron's comments adding that they were in line with what Ukraine has said, which was that at the end of the war there would be a negotiation.

"In fact, there is a discrepancy, in other words, between on the one hand certain movements or certain people who are trying to ... isolate a piece of a sentence outside of its context and the reality of the work that we carry out which really is done without difficulty," the official said.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Man Convicted of Fraud After Booking Over 120 Free Flights Posing as Flight Attendant
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Hungarian Parliament Approves Citizenship Suspension Law
Prime Minister Orbán Criticizes EU's Ukraine Accession Plans
Hungarian Delicacies Introduced to Japanese Market
Hungary's Industrial Output Rises Amid Battery Sector Slump
President Sulyok Celebrates 15 Years of Hungarian Unity Efforts
Hungary's Szeleczki Shines at World Judo Championships
Visegrád Construction Trends Diverge as Hungary Lags
Hungary Hosts National Quantum Technology Workshop
Hungarian Animation Featured at Annecy Festival
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
UK and EU Reach New Economic Agreement
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
UK and EU Reach Agreement on Gibraltar's Schengen Integration
Israeli Finance Minister Imposes Banking Penalties on Palestinians
U.S. Inflation Rises to 2.4% in May Amid Trade Tensions
Trump's Policies Prompt Decline in Chinese Student Enrollment in U.S.
Global Oceans Near Record Temperatures as CO₂ Levels Climb
Trump Announces U.S.-China Trade Deal Covering Rare Earths
Smuggled U.S. Fuel Funds Mexican Cartels Amid Crackdown
Austrian School Shooting Leaves Nine Dead in Graz
Bezos's Lavish Venice Wedding Sparks Local Protests
Europe Prepares for Historic Lunar Rover Landing
Italian Parents Seek Therapy Amid Lengthy School Holidays
British Fishing Vessel Seized by France Fined €30,000
Dutch Government Collapses Amid Migration Policy Dispute
UK Commits to 3.5% GDP Defence Spending Under NATO Pressure
Germany Moves to Expedite Migrant Deportations
US Urges UK to Raise Defence Spending to 5% of GDP
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Low Turnout Jeopardizes Italy's Citizenship Reform Referendum
Transatlantic Interest Rate Divergence Widens as Trump Pressures Powell
EU Lawmaker Calls for Broader Exemptions in Supply Chain Legislation
France's Defense Spending Plans Threatened by High National Debt
European Small-Cap Stocks Outperform U.S. Rivals Amid Growth Revival
Switzerland Proposes $26 Billion Capital Increase for UBS
×