President Emmanuel Macron will address the nation on Wednesday to outline France's position amid growing tensions over Ukraine – just hours before an EU summit on the conflict begins in Brussels. The move comes as Hungary's Viktor Orban visits Paris claiming some EU nations “want war", and nearly three-quarters of French people say the US is no longer an ally.
"In this moment of great uncertainty, where the world is confronted with its greatest challenges, I will address you tonight at 8pm," Macron said in a message posted on the social media platform X early Wednesday.
Western allies are looking to forge unity on their Ukraine strategy after the United States halted critical military aid to Kyiv, with Hungary’s nationalist leader Viktor Orban travelling to Paris on Wednesday for talks with Macron ahead of the Brussels summit.
Speaking to the media in Budapest on Tuesday, Orban criticised what he called the "transatlantic divide", warning that European Union countries were at odds over Ukraine policy.
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"Some want war and others want peace. This is the challenge we must face," Orban said.
The Hungarian leader, who maintains close relationships with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, has threatened to veto a joint statement by EU leaders supporting Ukraine if Brussels refuses to open negotiations with Russia.
Trump’s "pause" on US military aid to Ukraine came after he accused Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky of “gambling with World War III” and showing insufficient gratitude for American support during a tense White House meeting on Friday.
French public opinion
Meanwhile 73 percent of French people said they believed the United States was no longer an ally of France in an Elabe poll for BFMTV.
Sixty-four percent of respondents were shocked by the White House altercation between Trump and Zelensky, with 59 percent placing blame on the US president.
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Despite concerns about the conflict spreading – 76 percent fear it could extend beyond Ukraine's borders and 64 percent worry it could reach France – a majority of French citizens support continued military assistance to Ukraine.
While 64 percent wanted France to either maintain or increase its military support for Kyiv, three in four said they were not willing to pay higher taxes to fund this support.
Most French respondents (68 percent) oppose sending French troops to Ukraine during the ongoing conflict, but 67 percent would support such a deployment after a peace agreement to guarantee Ukraine's security.
