Could Security Guarantees End the War In Ukraine? – French President Emmanuel Macron suggested on television on Saturday that the West should consider giving security guarantees to Russia in the event that President Vladimir Putin agrees to engage in negotiations over his invasion of Ukraine.
Security Guarantees: How to End the Ukraine War?
Speaking to French television network TF1 in an interview recorded during his recent trip to the United States, Macron argued that Europe needs to begin preparing future security architecture with a view to making some guarantees for Russia.
“This means that one of the essential points we must address – as President Putin has always said – is the fear that NATO comes right up to its doors, and the deployment of weapons that could threaten Russia,” the French president said.
“That topic will be part of the topics for peace, so we need to prepare what we are ready to do, how we protect our allies and member states, and how to give guarantees to Russia the day it returns to the negotiating table.”
It’s a suggestion that Macron has made before.
In February, the Russian and French presidents met to discuss security guarantees for Russia.
The discussions ultimately led to nothing.
Would NATO Scrap Plans for Swedish and Finnish Membership?
While Macron was not speaking on behalf of NATO or other Western Allies, his comments represent a pragmatism that other Western leaders may want to emulate in order to avoid the war escalating any further.
While the United States continues to provide military aid and economic assistance to Ukraine, the White House privately asked Kyiv in November to express its willingness to negotiate with Russia.
This request was effectively denied when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy doubled down on his refusal to negotiate unless Putin is removed from power.
If Macron’s suggestion is taken seriously by other NATO leaders, it could open up a Pandora’s Box of possibilities to bring Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to an end.
While Putin has made it clear he will not leave Ukraine without control of the territories that he considers inextricable parts of Russia, the planned accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO could potentially come under threat as part of new security assurances to Russia given the Kremlin’s long-standing opposition to countries on its border joining the alliance.
If Putin needs something to come of the conflict in Ukraine that he can present to Russian citizens as a victory, and if Ukrainian territories are off the table, ending the planned accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO could be a start.
It remains to be seen, however, if the Kremlin would be open to ending the war without seeing the Donbas and the other “annexed” regions of Ukraine formally recognized as Russian.
Jack Buckby is 19FortyFive’s Breaking News Editor.
Jack Dunster
December 3, 2022 at 5:54 pm
Figures…. So… umm… seeing as how Poland borders Russia, the Baltic nations too, oh and Canada and Denmark… not to mention the USA.. will all those states be kicked out of NATO too? There’s a place where the sun doesn’t shine, Macron, you can stick your suggestion up there
Magneto
December 3, 2022 at 5:56 pm
The French president belongs to the small group of West European nations that believe Russian propaganda(lies). Proof of Russian disregard for security is the transfer of most Russian border guards to the Ukraine conflict(invasion). Ask yourself why is Russia not concerned about border security everywhere except Ukraine.If Russia was concerned about security, why confuse the matter by annexing newly conquered Ukraine territory? The strong suspicion is that Russia is more concerned with increasing its territory through annexation, than security.
France, which was part of the nazi, axis, through the vichy regime, along with Germany and Italy, exported weapons to Russia after its 2014 invasion of Ukraine, despite an arms embargo. This fact removes any credibility from the suggestion by Macron.
Big Crow
December 3, 2022 at 7:15 pm
Well, the single issue is the placement of NATO missiles on the Ukraine/Russian border. Zelensky refuses to say no, he’s somehow special. No other bordering state has NATO missile batteries on the border with Russia pointed at the Kremlin. The Baltics got their NATO membership uneventfully, no missiles there though. Norway and Sweden would have to guarantee the same or it will be Ukraine 2 and 3 playing in the press. NATO’s leftists threw a nonmember nation under the Russian bus with the promise of membership knowing full well they were under no charter obligation to defend them – who would want to join that?
Keijo
December 3, 2022 at 7:37 pm
This is from Finland. Fack you Macron
Tom
December 3, 2022 at 8:04 pm
I don’t know where to start. This article can’t make it to first base in my mind. This is a major war and not even a year old. I can’t imagine if we made a deal with Hitler in 1942. Where would we be today?
Barney
December 3, 2022 at 8:28 pm
I agree with Jack Dunster. If Putin had his way, he would annex / absorb all of Ukraine putting him on Poland’s (NATO’s) doorstep. Putin’s reasons for invading Ukraine are based on fallacy. The Russian autocracy is a lying machine … they lie to everyone including the Russian people.
Teodor
December 4, 2022 at 6:02 am
Are you sure that there are any US guarantees that Russia would believe in?))
if she knows perfectly well in many cases how the United States treats not only its principled opponents, but even its nominal allies. it’s only the Europeans who are now starting to understand with surprise the true attitude of the United States towards Europe – IRA, etc (but they don’t want to believe it yet). and in Russia, even schoolchildren (not to mention serious analysts) could tell about how events would develop further 2-3 years ago: That the United States will block Europe’s access to cheap energy of all kinds, encourage the withdrawal of key European production facilities to the United States and organize unemployment, energy sufficiency and hunger in Europe. And all the events since about 2014 fit into this logic, including the war in Ukraine. And the Russians laugh when Macron tries to cause pity for the freezing Europe of American alligators)). Another thing is that Russia does not care about Europe and the United States, the main interest is Russia
Friend
December 4, 2022 at 6:21 am
1. Withdrawerl
2. Reparations
3. Crimes tribunal
Teodor
December 4, 2022 at 6:48 am
And more. in order to understand what Ukraine is for Russia. Imagine that difficult times came and Texas separated from the United States, took with it more land from Louisiana to Florida and became a separate country. The USA reacted to this quite calmly, and for about 25 years it has been building business relations with a new country just as calmly. At the same time, strange things began to happen in the country of Texans. The main ideology was that the United States had occupied the free people and lands of Texas for several centuries, that Texas slang (into which they introduced many Spanish words after separation) was not English but the ancient Texan language. In Texas, it was forbidden to speak pure English, everyone must use the new Texas accent. A few years later, a coup d’etat took place in Texas, and it was reviled by radical forces advocating war with the United States. Seeing that some nonsense is happening in Texas, Florida and Louisiana began to say more and more often that their territory is the original territory of the United States. Florida held a referendum and returned to the United States, Louisiana and Georgia remained in Texas. In response, Texas began bombing these territories. Russia supported Texas, began to supply weapons there, train militants, sent military instructors and heavy weapons. Russia has accepted Mexico, Canada, Cuba, and Central American countries into its military alliance, and has located military bases there. These countries also began to supply heavy weapons to Texas – so that it could fight for its freedom from US oppression and protect world democracy from this progress. Texas openly said that it would return Florida to Texas by force of arms, as well as win back the original Texas territories of Oklahoma, Kansas, Arizona, New Mexico and others, where Texans have lived since ancient times. Russia and its allies supported Texas and encouraged it to fight for its freedom and democracy in America. At the same time, Russia accused the United States of wanting to conquer a defenseless and free Texas. recently, it has become clear that the words of Texas about its readiness to fight with the United States are not just words. large military groups were accumulated near the borders of the United States, Russian weapons continuously came in a large stream across the border with Mexico to Texas.
Now I will stop my story
and ask: what did the US do in this case? My story is of course fantastic in the sense that the United States is a predator, the culprit of many suddenly in the world, and not the defending side. But still think about my words
Michael Droy
December 4, 2022 at 7:02 am
Doh – just who does Macron think is going to give those security guarantees?
France – who with Germany guaranteed the Minsk 1 & 2 agreements which Ukraine not just ignored but used to buy time to build up a 600k army and dig layers of trenches infront of the Donbas in order to shell it while promising to take Donbas last year?
Serial liars and treaty breakers USA?
The UK, Muttley to US Dick Dastardly?
What just happened was the complete collapse of all of Nato’s credibility (not least as a force ready for conventional battle with Russia).
eliot nes
December 4, 2022 at 8:33 am
Crimea and Donbass have been de facto and de jure the territory of Russia for 300 years already, it’s time for you to get used to it