The Ukrainian front line “keeps getting closer” heightening the chance of a European war, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël said Monday, a few hours before debates by French lawmakers on the war in Ukraine and European security.
“The front line keeps getting closer to us," Barrot told France Inter radio, calling out "imperialist ambitions" in Ukraine and beyond.
“Never has the risk of war on the European continent - in the European Union - been so high, because for almost fifteen years, the threat has been getting closer and closer to us.”
London summit
Speaking a day after European leaders rallied around Ukraine at a summit in London, and hours before the start of a debate in the French National Assembly and Senate, Barrot said the London meeting was the “awakening of a whole segment of Europeans who refused to see the reality of the situation".
Countries are now convinced of the need for “Europe to be able to take care of its own defence and security” and not have to ask anything of the United States, he said.
President Emmanuel Macron has been leading to push for rapid action by the European Union for a common defense, which would cost €200 billion, centred around France’s nuclear arsenal.
Not everyone France agrees, and different political factions have their own analyses of the situation and proposals to address the United States’ move closer to Russian interests.
'Europe must do the heavy lifting' in Ukraine, needs 'US backing': UK's Starmer
Political parties react
On the left, the Communists and the hard-left France Unbowed movement are opposed to a European army.
Communist leader Fabien Roussel on Sunday called for a European peace conference, which includes Russia, to negotiate rather than a peace plan that he said was designed to “rearm” all parties.
France Unbowed has said that increased military spending will only benefit the American arms industry.
UK, France working with Ukraine on plan to stop fighting: Starmer
The far right National Rally is also sceptical. Leader Marine Le Pen criticised European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's announcement of a plan to rearm Europe, to be presented in Brussels on March 6.
“The European Commission is totally exceeding its powers”, she said, after criticising France’s failure to mediate the conflict.
Representatives of France’s various political groups will question Prime Minister François Bayrou, who will address the National Assembly Monday afternoon and the Senate on Tuesday.
(with AFP)
