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PM François Bayrou opened the debate by denouncing what he called “a stunning scene marked by brutality, and a desire to humiliate,” referring to last week’s bitter spat between US President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
What strategy should France and the EU adopt concerning Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine? French MPs debated this question in the lower house of the parliament, the National Assembly, on Monday evening.This symbolic debate (with no vote at the end) came hours before news broke about the White House’s pause of military aid to Ukraine and as French President Emmanuel Macron has been pushing for a common EU defence framework in response to the US’s lighting rapprochement with RussiaThe proposed strategy could cost the 27-bloc up to €200 billion and could be centred around France’s nuclear arsenal—the only EU country to have its nuclear warheads. Although most MPs supported Kyiv and its embattled leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the National Assembly remained deeply divided on the strategy to adopt. While military affairs are within the French President’s reserved domains, ultimately, it’s the parliament that has the power to increase defence spending. All the lawmakers welcomed Vadym Omelchenko, the Ukrainian ambassador to France, with a standing ovation. French Prime Minister François Bayrou opened the debate by denouncing what he called “a stunning scene marked by brutality, a desire to humiliate,” referring to last week’s bitter spat opposing Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump. The press conference sent shockwaves around the world after Trump and his vice president, JD Vance, mocked the Ukrainian leader and accused him of not doing enough to end Russia’s full-scale invasion. François Bayrou offered his full support to Kyiv and claimed Europe is “strong” and must guarantee “its own security”, at a time when the US is pulling back its support. “We Europeans are strong, and we don’t know it; we behave as if we were weak,” said the Prime Minister. “If we are strong, it is up to us Europeans to guarantee Europe’s security and defence, and first and foremost in an emergency, we cannot leave Ukraine undefended,” the PM said.Meanwhile, the figurehead of the far-right National Rally Party, Marine Le Pen, agreed that Ukraine should be supported but that France should “keep its national interests in mind.” She also argued against a common EU military strategy and sending French soldiers to Ukraine. Both the Communists and the hard-left France Unbowed party opposed any increased military spending. However, in an unusual alliance, the Green Party and the Socialist Party agreed with the government’s position on Ukraine and a stronger EU defence framework. Green Party leader at the National Assembly, Cyrielle Chatelain, said the EU “has relied too much on the United States.” She announced her party was in favour of the bloc becoming “a political and military force.” Another symbolic debate is scheduled for Tuesday at the Senate, where the latest developments on peace efforts, including Washington’s pause of military aid to Kyiv, are expected to be discussed.
