Where Has President Macron’s Wisdom Gone?

By: Ayman Okeil

On Monday, February 26, 2024, during the conclusion of Paris Conference on Ukraine, President Emmanuel Macron proposed the idea of deploying ground forces to Ukraine. However, this proposal was met with rejection from several European countries and United States of America.

Russia responded to President Macron’s statements by warning that the presence of Western forces in Ukraine would inevitably lead to a confrontation with NATO. While such a confrontation seems unlikely at present, it is not entirely impossible, especially considering Ukraine’s recent defeats and withdrawal from the Avdiivka region in eastern Ukraine. In response, the Czech Republic initiated a campaign to raise $1.5 billion for delivering artillery shells and ammunition to Ukraine. Ukrainian army has estimated its need for 2.5 million artillery shells in 2024.

I must confess that I see some merit in the arguments put forth by Western rational politicians, who fear that demonizing Russia could lead to decisions that escalate international tensions. They rightly believe that Russia is not the Soviet Union of the past, which Winston Churchill once deemed necessary to confront due to its nuclear capabilities. Current Russia is not the economic successor of the exhausted Soviet Union after the end of the Cold War. Given this context, I had hoped that President Macron would exhibit greater wisdom and refrain from making such a statement. Many people on social media have questioned his judgment, wondering where his wisdom has gone. They call upon France and Western countries to learn from past lessons and avoid deliberately denying or forgetting them.

I am an optimistic person by nature; however, I firmly believe that any NATO military involvement on the ground in Ukraine would have catastrophic consequences, potentially leading to a third world war. If such a war were to occur, it could result in widespread destruction. Did President Macron consider the number of civilian casualties that would occur in a NATO-Russia confrontation? Did he contemplate the mass migration that would likely ensue, affecting not only European cities but also other countries and continents?

Furthermore, did President Macron consider the immense costs of reconstruction that would follow such a war? I doubt he envisioned these scenarios before making his rush statement. Therefore, it is unwise to entertain this idea, and we should instead reject President Macron’s proposal in its early stages. The world can no longer bear the burden of additional wars, and major powers must exercise patience and prioritize peace and development as alternatives to armed conflicts.