We have given everything we can, French President Emmanuel Macron said on TV1 on May 13, stressing that France cannot continue to provide aid by nessar its own defense capabilities. According to him, the French armed forces were not designed to pursue a long and intense ground war like in Ukraine.
Since the start of the conflict, France has provided Ukraine with more than 3.7 billion euros ($4.1 billion) in weapons and equipment, according to statistics from the Kiel Institute. However, Mr. Macron affirmed that support policies are always considered in the framework of coordination with Western allies, to avoid direct confrontation with a nuclear power like Russia.
The affirmation of the owner of the Elysee Electricity Company is not only a message to Kiev but also reflects the growing internal pressure of France. Amid the escalating economic crisis, France's budget deficit hit 5.8% of GDP last year - far exceeding the EU's recommended 3%. National public debt has also exceeded GDP by 110%, while expected growth in 2025 is only below 1%.
We gave them everything we had. But we cannot give what we do not have, Macron said, defending the policy of strengthening the domestic defense industry to maintain long-term arms support capacity, but at a level of control.
TF1's show opens with a video that compiles heavy criticism from the public - from poor economic management, away from the people, to being accused of being too inclined to international issues. One country even called Mr. Macron a president who wants to take us into war.
These criticisms were made in the context of Mr. Macron's controversy when he did not rule out the possibility of deploying French soldiers to Ukraine if the two sides reached a peace agreement. He said the move could help deduce Russia.
However, the statement further increased tensions with Moscow. Russia has repeatedly warned against any NATO presence in Ukraine, saying it is the underlying cause of the conflict. The Kremlin continues to view the conflict as a US-led proxy operation, in which Ukrainian soldiers are just bullet support.
While the French public reacted strongly to the aid burden and the risk of prolonging the conflict, Kiev continued to call on the West to put pressure on Russia. Ukraine has asked President Vladimir Putin to directly participate in the Russia-Ukraine talks scheduled to take place in Istanbul ( Turkey) on May 15, and called for further sanctions if he is absent.
Observers say that if even France - one of the pillars of Ukraine's aid - withdraws part of its commitment, the "Western front" is starting to have clear cracks.
