Europe’s credibility will be destroyed if Russia is allowed to win in Ukraine, [Emmanuel Macron](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/emmanuel-macron/) has warned, as he defended his refusal to rule out sending troops to the country.
“If Russia wins the war in Ukraine, Europe’s credibility would be reduced to zero,” he said in a prime-time interview on his stance on the conflict.
Churchill famously called on the UN to keep [Russia](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/russia/) in check in 1946 “supported by the whole strength of the English-speaking world and all its connections”.
“Do you think that the Poles, the Lithuanians, the Estonians, the Romanians and the Bulgarians could remain at peace for a second [in the event of a Russian victory in Ukraine]?” he asked. “If Russia wins this war, Europe’s credibility would be reduced to zero.”
Asked to clarify his stance on sending ground troops, the French president said: “We will never go on the offensive, we will never take the initiative.
“France is a force for peace … Today, in order to have peace in Ukraine, we must not be weak, and so we must look at the situation lucidly and say with determination, strong will and courage that we are ready to use all the means at our disposal to achieve our objective, which is that Russia should not win.”
The French leader reiterated his position that sending Western troops into Ukraine should not be ruled out, but said that today’s situation does not require that.
# ‘All options are possible’
“We’re not in that situation today,” Mr Macron said, but added that “all these options are possible”.
“There is an escalation on the part of Russia and we are simply saying regarding that escalation we are prepared to respond,” he said.
Both the National Assembly and the Senate approved in symbolic votes the 10-year bilateral security agreement signed last month between Mr Macron and [Volodymyr Zelensky](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/volodymyr-zelenskyy/), the Ukrainian president.
Mr Macron is set to meet Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, and [Donald Tusk](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/donald-tusk/), the Polish prime minister, in Berlin on Friday, March 15 in a summit meant to show unity.
The French president appeared isolated on the European stage after his remarks at a Paris conference on Ukraine prompted an outcry from other leaders.
Europe had credibility after the roman empire?! Naaah…
Jokes on you…
Well that’s true.
Macron send in the french
this is his own doing. First rule of war is to plan your economy so enough of the right resources are available at the right time. Neither Macron or any European leader has ever planned for anything, our economy is 5 times larger than Russia’s yet our defense production is nearly 10 years behind them.
he’s right, but it’s a done deal. EU never wanted to be a “power”, just a supermarket for big companies.
We could have built a european welfare system, an european defense system, or an european educative system. All of thoses were proposed 70 years ago when the EU started.
we lost. nationalism, bigotry, lobbying & a hundred other things got in the way.
The only good thing we managed to do is a worldwide influence on product regulation (USB as a standard => the EU. ending the oil spill incidents from tanker by enforcing drastic norms => the EU. drastic norms to end madcow disease => EU, etc.)
It’s a win I guess…
Until when will European alliance wait to form at least a partial unity of countries to send defensive armymen there? Russia is understanding only direct language of force.
Actions speak louder than words.
Russia cannot be allowed to succeed, and it must lose its colonial war. The only way to secure a peace that lasts not a year but a generation is to defeat Russia by forcing them to retreat.
Empires always have the hubris to think they are indestructible, when in fact, they are always unsustainable.
Old systems do not fold willingly, particularly when they control gargantuan amounts of wealth and power. But like empires of old – from the Romans to the Hapsburgs to the colonial British – even the largest do fall. Marianne Willaimson
I don’t understand. If The US, the UK, Germany, France, other EU countries and even Japan, South Korea sre really serious about the necessity of Ukraine to be victorius, then it shouldn’t be too difficult to give Ukraine enough resources to be victorius.
Lots of negative comments. But I welcome this rethoric, these words being said by an influential political leader is something that was missing in the last 2 years
The controversy is him not ruling out sending NATO/European soldiers. He can send French soldiers to Ukraine whenever he wants.
i care very, very little about macrons credibility when people are actually dying
Finally a politician with a pair.
Europeans wake up.
How is Ukraine going to win? It’s pretty much impossible to beat a self-sufficient, much larger country like Russia. All they can do is keep fighting until the demographics of Ukraine and screwed forever and all the men are lost. It’s truly a tragedy.
Macron knows what he is talking about. Ukraine loosing is basically free reign for Russia.
Just words, day after day, no action. He could go on the front line for example. Others to follow
So, join the ukranian armed forces, mr Macron…. Be a man for at least one time in your life…
It looks like the problem for European elites has finally hit the fan.
All of them took a bet that Russia would collapse under pressure, because it was always known to them that military victory was unlikely. They put their whole careers on the line. They will look like complete idiots in the eyes of history, and would somehow, anyhow, want to prevent that.
Because the thing is, if Ukraine loses, Europe will go on.
They, on the other hand, are finished.
And that’s all there is to it, and their last hope is to proclaim direct war on Russia and win that way. The fall of their bruised ego is so unbearable to them, that they are ready to send you and me to war, for their interests.
F**k them. All they are doing at the moment is increasing the number of bodybags.
It’s always so funny watching french and germans talking about how they should stop Russia at all costs when the mere mention of the Russian threat before the war(or more precisely before the annexation of Crimea) was met with disdain. You were a “russophobe” or “a remnant of the cold war” apparently if you said anything about them.
Guess what? Russian scum doesn’t give a shit about rules and your diplomacy amounted to nothing(as it has always been for forever). Wasn’t Merkel talking about how the nordstream was just an economic plan and it was nothing political?
Now, you are a russian agent if you aren’t doing whatever these clowns are saying.
I would be laughing if the whole of Europe wasn’t in danger. Especially nations that aren’t in the EU or Nato. But still I must say that I can’t help it. Every single one of you who were cozy behind EU and Nato and called everyone russophobes and all that shit. Are you afraid now? Good. Get absolutely fucked.
We know that and still wonder when france will contribute major euipment donations, like vab, leclerc, roland aa, Mirage 2000, or a few dozen cesar.
Too late Emmanuel. Too late. Didn’t see what happened with Scholz and the PM of Malaysia? Have you seen how the far right is growing in all countries? It is no coincidence. It is thanks to the magnificent work you are doing in Brussels and Frankfurt (BCE).
It already did. European leaders are for the new world order.
Wait, they care? Cool.
So will the US
Ruzz bots unleashed in this thread
He is not wrong. Winning in Ukraine will mean A LOT for Russia and for Europe, but for Europe it will be in the *bad way*.
By projecting power and capability to oppose and even challenge powerful military unions like NATO, Putin paves the way for Russia, an authoritarian country, to be a major player in forming multilateral anti-western pacts with countries around the world.
I believe a lot of europeans significantly underestimate the negatives of what this would bring to us in the west in the long-term, especially economically. It will demonize us by enabling the narrative that the *good has prevailed* in Ukraine and the *evil westerns* are beaten.
In the end, why would the rest of the world want to establish democracy systems in their countries when apparently democracies are slow, weak and unable to protect their interests across the globe.
I truly believe this may destroy us – europeans, as a geo-political force in the world.
28 comments
**From The Telegraph’s Henry Samuel:**
Europe’s credibility will be destroyed if Russia is allowed to win in Ukraine, [Emmanuel Macron](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/emmanuel-macron/) has warned, as he defended his refusal to rule out sending troops to the country.
“If Russia wins the war in Ukraine, Europe’s credibility would be reduced to zero,” he said in a prime-time interview on his stance on the conflict.
The French president invoked Winston Churchill’s call to maintain the “sinews of peace” as he defended his earlier comments suggesting Western ground troops [could be deployed to Ukraine](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/03/12/macron-allies-liken-him-to-churchill-for-ukraine-plan/#:~:text=Mr%20Macron's%20controversial%20comments%20that,told%20BFMTV%20and%20Le%20Monde.).
Churchill famously called on the UN to keep [Russia](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/russia/) in check in 1946 “supported by the whole strength of the English-speaking world and all its connections”.
# ‘Ukraine war is existential for Europe’
The [war in Ukraine](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/russia-ukraine-war/) is “existential for our Europe and for France”, Mr Macron said in the interview on France 2 and TF1.
“Do you think that the Poles, the Lithuanians, the Estonians, the Romanians and the Bulgarians could remain at peace for a second [in the event of a Russian victory in Ukraine]?” he asked. “If Russia wins this war, Europe’s credibility would be reduced to zero.”
Asked to clarify his stance on sending ground troops, the French president said: “We will never go on the offensive, we will never take the initiative.
“France is a force for peace … Today, in order to have peace in Ukraine, we must not be weak, and so we must look at the situation lucidly and say with determination, strong will and courage that we are ready to use all the means at our disposal to achieve our objective, which is that Russia should not win.”
The French leader reiterated his position that sending Western troops into Ukraine should not be ruled out, but said that today’s situation does not require that.
# ‘All options are possible’
“We’re not in that situation today,” Mr Macron said, but added that “all these options are possible”.
“There is an escalation on the part of Russia and we are simply saying regarding that escalation we are prepared to respond,” he said.
The live interview, to be broadcast by TF1 and France 2, came after the French parliament debated the country’s [Ukraine strategy](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/03/07/emmanuel-macron-threat-russia-breakthrough-ukraine-elysee/).
Both the National Assembly and the Senate approved in symbolic votes the 10-year bilateral security agreement signed last month between Mr Macron and [Volodymyr Zelensky](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/volodymyr-zelenskyy/), the Ukrainian president.
Mr Macron is set to meet Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, and [Donald Tusk](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/donald-tusk/), the Polish prime minister, in Berlin on Friday, March 15 in a summit meant to show unity.
The French president appeared isolated on the European stage after his remarks at a Paris conference on Ukraine prompted an outcry from other leaders.
**Continue reading ⬇️**
[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/03/14/macron-europe-will-lose-credibility-russia-defeats-ukraine/](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/03/14/macron-europe-will-lose-credibility-russia-defeats-ukraine/)
Europe had credibility after the roman empire?! Naaah…
Jokes on you…
Well that’s true.
Macron send in the french
this is his own doing. First rule of war is to plan your economy so enough of the right resources are available at the right time. Neither Macron or any European leader has ever planned for anything, our economy is 5 times larger than Russia’s yet our defense production is nearly 10 years behind them.
he’s right, but it’s a done deal. EU never wanted to be a “power”, just a supermarket for big companies.
We could have built a european welfare system, an european defense system, or an european educative system. All of thoses were proposed 70 years ago when the EU started.
we lost. nationalism, bigotry, lobbying & a hundred other things got in the way.
The only good thing we managed to do is a worldwide influence on product regulation (USB as a standard => the EU. ending the oil spill incidents from tanker by enforcing drastic norms => the EU. drastic norms to end madcow disease => EU, etc.)
It’s a win I guess…
Until when will European alliance wait to form at least a partial unity of countries to send defensive armymen there? Russia is understanding only direct language of force.
Actions speak louder than words.
Russia cannot be allowed to succeed, and it must lose its colonial war. The only way to secure a peace that lasts not a year but a generation is to defeat Russia by forcing them to retreat.
Empires always have the hubris to think they are indestructible, when in fact, they are always unsustainable.
Old systems do not fold willingly, particularly when they control gargantuan amounts of wealth and power. But like empires of old – from the Romans to the Hapsburgs to the colonial British – even the largest do fall. Marianne Willaimson
I don’t understand. If The US, the UK, Germany, France, other EU countries and even Japan, South Korea sre really serious about the necessity of Ukraine to be victorius, then it shouldn’t be too difficult to give Ukraine enough resources to be victorius.
Lots of negative comments. But I welcome this rethoric, these words being said by an influential political leader is something that was missing in the last 2 years
The controversy is him not ruling out sending NATO/European soldiers. He can send French soldiers to Ukraine whenever he wants.
i care very, very little about macrons credibility when people are actually dying
Finally a politician with a pair.
Europeans wake up.
How is Ukraine going to win? It’s pretty much impossible to beat a self-sufficient, much larger country like Russia. All they can do is keep fighting until the demographics of Ukraine and screwed forever and all the men are lost. It’s truly a tragedy.
Macron knows what he is talking about. Ukraine loosing is basically free reign for Russia.
Just words, day after day, no action. He could go on the front line for example. Others to follow
So, join the ukranian armed forces, mr Macron…. Be a man for at least one time in your life…
It looks like the problem for European elites has finally hit the fan.
All of them took a bet that Russia would collapse under pressure, because it was always known to them that military victory was unlikely. They put their whole careers on the line. They will look like complete idiots in the eyes of history, and would somehow, anyhow, want to prevent that.
Because the thing is, if Ukraine loses, Europe will go on.
They, on the other hand, are finished.
And that’s all there is to it, and their last hope is to proclaim direct war on Russia and win that way. The fall of their bruised ego is so unbearable to them, that they are ready to send you and me to war, for their interests.
F**k them. All they are doing at the moment is increasing the number of bodybags.
It’s always so funny watching french and germans talking about how they should stop Russia at all costs when the mere mention of the Russian threat before the war(or more precisely before the annexation of Crimea) was met with disdain. You were a “russophobe” or “a remnant of the cold war” apparently if you said anything about them.
Guess what? Russian scum doesn’t give a shit about rules and your diplomacy amounted to nothing(as it has always been for forever). Wasn’t Merkel talking about how the nordstream was just an economic plan and it was nothing political?
Now, you are a russian agent if you aren’t doing whatever these clowns are saying.
I would be laughing if the whole of Europe wasn’t in danger. Especially nations that aren’t in the EU or Nato. But still I must say that I can’t help it. Every single one of you who were cozy behind EU and Nato and called everyone russophobes and all that shit. Are you afraid now? Good. Get absolutely fucked.
We know that and still wonder when france will contribute major euipment donations, like vab, leclerc, roland aa, Mirage 2000, or a few dozen cesar.
Too late Emmanuel. Too late. Didn’t see what happened with Scholz and the PM of Malaysia? Have you seen how the far right is growing in all countries? It is no coincidence. It is thanks to the magnificent work you are doing in Brussels and Frankfurt (BCE).
It already did. European leaders are for the new world order.
Wait, they care? Cool.
So will the US
Ruzz bots unleashed in this thread
He is not wrong. Winning in Ukraine will mean A LOT for Russia and for Europe, but for Europe it will be in the *bad way*.
By projecting power and capability to oppose and even challenge powerful military unions like NATO, Putin paves the way for Russia, an authoritarian country, to be a major player in forming multilateral anti-western pacts with countries around the world.
I believe a lot of europeans significantly underestimate the negatives of what this would bring to us in the west in the long-term, especially economically. It will demonize us by enabling the narrative that the *good has prevailed* in Ukraine and the *evil westerns* are beaten.
In the end, why would the rest of the world want to establish democracy systems in their countries when apparently democracies are slow, weak and unable to protect their interests across the globe.
I truly believe this may destroy us – europeans, as a geo-political force in the world.