In an interview, Emmanuel Macron describes Putin as “predator”

French President Emmanuel Macron described Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin as “predator”. “He also has to eat (Putin) for his own survival. Therefore, he is a predator, a monster at our goals,” said Macron in an interview with the French TV broadcaster LCI on Tuesday. Russia has become “permanently a destabilizing power and a potential threat to many of us”.

After the Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008, Putin “rarely adhered to his commitments,” said Macron. “He tried to pull borders again to enlarge his power.” Macron demanded that Europeans should therefore not be “naive” in dealing with the Russian president.

The French President emphasized that “a country that invests 40 percent of its budget in the equipment that has mobilized an army of more than 1.3 million men will not return to peace and an open democratic system overnight”. France will not be attacked tomorrow, but Russia is a threat to Europe.

In an interview with the US broadcaster NBC News, Macron showed himself not very optimistic about peace in Ukraine. “When I look at the situation and the facts, I do not see that President Putin now wants peace, but maybe I’m too pessimistic,” said the French head of state.

Macron Geneva brought Macron Geneva as a location for a possible meeting between the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj and Putin. “It will be a neutral country, maybe Switzerland, I advocate Geneva, or another country.” The meeting should take place in Europe, all participants in the summit of European tops and Selenskyjs with US President Donald Trump in Washington agreed on Monday.

With regard to possible regional detections from Ukraine to Russia, Macron said it was to Kiev to decide this. However, caution should be exercised in recognition of occupied areas. If states take action that they could take areas with violence, then open the “Pandora’s box”.