Macron appears to believe that the best way to avert war in Europe is to continue supporting Ukraine and to “not give an inch”.
The 100% precise opposite is true – and I would have thought evidently true. The longer the war goes on the more risk there is of contact between Europe/Nato and Russia. If the war were to end tomorrow, for example, based on the Anchorage comprimise. that would be it. The risk would be immediately significantly reduced.
But what would really be sure to avert war in Europe would be a security architecture that took account of a) Russia’s legttimate concern not to have Nato in Ukraine and Georgia and b) transfer of Donbas to Russia. (The opportunity for Minsk was lost – by Europe and Kiev).
‘Supporting’ Ukraine is killing Ukraine. Ukraine cannot win. The agony can only be prolonged.
And, notice the contradiction. Macron implies that Ukraine is holding back Russia. This is the “Ukraine is the front-line in Europe’s defence” line that Burnham was singing on his last visit to Kiev. It is barmy. How can it be simultaneously true that Ukraine is holding back the Russian hordes who would otherwise be swarming into Europe, and that it has taken Russia 5 years to take 20% of Ukraine?
