Emmanuel Macron has launched a direct message, and with a clear recipient, from the other side of the planet. During a press conference held in Singapore this Friday, May 30, the French president has indicated that the possibility of imposing new sanctions on Russia in case the Kremlin continues to reject a high fire “is a credibility test for the United States of Donald Trump.” This is collected by the newspaper Le Figaro, which cites the words of the Chief of Elysee in the final stretch of his tour of Southeast Asia, just before inaugurating the Shangri-La Dialogue, the largest forum on security in the region. Macron explained that he spoke “48 hours” with the former US president, who according to his version showed “impatience” regarding the evolution of the conflict in Ukraine. “The question is now: what do we do with that? We, the Europeans, are prepared,” said the president, accompanied by Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Macron’s words are a new turn in the European diplomatic strategy around the Ukraine War. The French president not only points directly to Moscow for blocking any negotiation attempt, but also puts pressure on Washington, in the middle of the election year, so that he undertakes to harden his position in case Russia confirms that “it is not willing to make peace.” It is, in the words of Macron himself, of an issue that will test the determination of the United States and, implicitly, that of Trump himself, which starts as a favorite in the surveys against Joe Biden. “It is a credibility test for the Americans,” he repeated before the media, using a less diplomatic tone than usual. According to Le Figaro, the speech seeks to strengthen the transatlantic unit for the coming months, but also mark an own profile for Europe if Washington takes a step back.
The threat of sanctions continues on the table
Macron does not improvise. On May 10, he traveled to kyiv with other leaders of the so -called “Volunteer Coalition”, a European platform promoted by Paris to militarily support Ukraine to NATO’s margin. On that visit, the European leaders warned with “mass sanctions” to Moscow if he did not accept a high immediate fire. But since then, nothing has changed. Russia maintains its offensive, the front is still active and the threat has remained, for now, in the air. It is in that context where Macron takes the subject again, this time from Asia and with Trump at the center of his message, instead of Putin.
The decision to tie the future of sanctions to the response of the United States responds to a calculated strategy, according to French diplomats. If Washington – under republican or democratic leadership – does not respond, Europe will seek to assume a leading role in the pressure on Moscow, something that would also serve Macron to reinforce its international profile. In any case, the pressure is already thrown. Now, it is time to wait for Trump’s reaction, which until now has avoided compromising openly with new measures against Russia.
