France Responded Harshly To Putin's Demands On Ukraine
1- 17.08.2025, 11:38
- 9,014
Moscow's promises cannot be a "guarantee".
France rejects Russia's demand for Ukraine's demilitarization: Kiev knows the history of agreements on paper, needs a strong army
France rejects Russia's demand for Ukraine's demilitarization, its attempts to change its borders by force and insists on reliable and clear security guarantees within the framework of any peace agreement. Moscow's promises not to attack in the future cannot be such a "guarantee": both Kiev and European capitals know perfectly well the price of agreements with Russia.
The Kremlin also has no right to tell Ukraine which political or military blocs to join and what kind of future to build. This was stated by French Minister-Delegate for European Affairs Benjamin Addad in an interview with La Tribune (translated by obozrevatel.com).
France's position on the parameters of a future peace agreement
The interviewer asked Addad if there was a danger that US President Donald Trump would press Kiev to accept Moscow's ultimatums - including a "territory swap" - after he, after meeting with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, suddenly abandoned the idea of a priority ceasefire that he had previously put forward himself.
The French official responded by outlining the fundamental parameters of a possible peace agreement from the point of view of Kiev and its European allies. The rule of international law and effective security guarantees remain key.
"Ukraine must decide on its future on its own territory. But we cannot agree to changes of borders by force. Moreover, any agreement must be accompanied by clear security guarantees to deter future Russian aggression. The Budapest Memorandum, the Minsk agreements: the Ukrainians know their history of agreements on paper betrayed by Moscow, and rightly do not want a pause that Russia uses to rearm and prepare for the next war," Addad noted.
On these guarantees France is now working with the UK and other partners in the Coalition of the willing, the minister said. He also emphasized that from a security point of view, the existence of a strong and capable Ukrainian army is of utmost importance.
"This is the work we are doing with our British partners and the Coalition of the willing. It will first and foremost require a strong Ukrainian army, so any desire to 'demilitarize' Ukraine is unacceptable. And we stand ready to play an active role in supporting these guarantees, as the Republican president has repeatedly said. Donald Trump has also expressed his support for the idea of participating in these security guarantees; this is a positive step forward," the French official said.
Addad also noted that France fully supports Ukraine on its path to joining the European Union. And Moscow has no right to tell Kiev what alliances Ukraine can join and what kind of future it can build on its own land for its people.
"Ukraine has the sovereign right to choose its alliances and its political direction. The European Union, NATO - Russia has no veto over Ukraine's political future. Remember that during Maidan 2014, for the first time in history, young people died for the European flag. It was this aspiration that Putin wanted to destroy in 2014. A free and European Ukraine will be a victory for Ukrainians. Moreover, applying for EU membership is a demanding and lengthy process that involves far-reaching reforms to ensure the rule of law, the fight against corruption, the independence of the judiciary, the protection of minorities and the like. France supports Ukraine on this path," the official emphasized.
The minister also announced a trip to Ukraine in September. He said that the goal was to continue negotiations to advance Ukraine's accession to the EU as soon as possible.
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