French President Emmanuel Macron said today that he will ask the European Commission to speed up its efforts to store natural gas at the European level, while also noting that the “historic” high fuel prices are “entirely due to the wars” and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
This situation, combined with the destruction of energy infrastructure in Russia and Ukraine—a consequence of Russia’s war of aggression—has led to a surge in energy prices worldwide, the French President stated, predicting that the situation would not change in the coming weeks.
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Speaking to reporters shortly after his meeting with the leaders of France’s political parties, President Macron also said that France “is doing everything it can to facilitate the peaceful reopening of the Strait of Hormuz,” noting that there are channels of communication between Iran and the United States, but that the discussions are proving difficult. He also stated that France is ready “to contribute, once an agreement is reached, by escorting tankers and container ships to help restore freedom of navigation.
“We have protected our citizens far more than anywhere else in Europe,” Macron also said, referring to both the COVID-19 crisis and Russian aggression in Ukraine, while noting at the same time that “today, we also have a responsibility regarding public finances.”
Continuing on the subject of Ukraine, the French president said that “our security today and tomorrow is at stake in Ukraine.”
The French President also mentioned both the attempted drone attack on the Leipzig airport in Germany and the recent statements by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who announced that Russia could carry out “hybrid strikes” against Ukraine’s allies in Europe.
Emmanuel Macron said that the situation is “serious” and that “we are at a moment of vigilance.” Regarding the issue of “response,” he said that “the very nature of deterrence is to avoid revealing what we will do. But this will not go unanswered. And I think it would be a mistake for Russia to continue acting toward Europeans in this way.”
The French President went on to note that “in recent weeks, the Russian hybrid threat to Europeans and to France has intensified,” announcing that he had asked the government to draw up a “plan to protect our critical infrastructure” from “Russian hybrid attacks.”
“The intention behind this is to intimidate us and undermine our efforts to support the Ukrainians. The result will be the opposite. It doesn’t intimidate us because we know that our security today and tomorrow is at stake in Ukraine,” Macron concluded.
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Source: KYPE
