EditFrom talks with Putin to militarisation: How France redefined its Ukraine policy
The NATO summit in The Hague highlighted the limits of European unity and French influence
When Russian tanks invaded Ukraine in February 2022, France’s initial response frustrated Kyiv. President Emmanuel Macron prioritised maintaining diplomatic ties with Vladimir Putin, a stance many Ukrainians viewed as naïve or dangerously conciliatory.
Three years later, France has emerged as one of Ukraine’s strongest European advocates, championing Kyiv’s NATO membership and providing substantial military aid.
From hesitation to the turning point (2022–2023)
At the onset of Russia’s invasion, Macron’s strategy – dialogue over confrontation, sparked controversy. During his February 2022 visit to Moscow, two weeks before the invasion, Macron sought direct negotiations with Putin. After the meeting, he claimed Putin had assured him of a willingness to engage, controversially stating, “There is no security for Europeans without security for Russia.” Meanwhile, Ukraine faced imminent bombardment and devastation.
Eastern European allies, particularly Poland and the Baltic states, criticised France for misjudging Putin’s intentions and underestimating Russia’s threat. However, as evidence of Russian atrocities mounted, France’s cautious stance became untenable. Macron’s June 2022 visit to Kyiv and the devastated town of Irpin, alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, marked a turning point. Visibly shaken, Macron condemned Russia’s actions, describing Irpin as “a heroic city, scarred by barbarism” and labeling Russian violence as “massacres and war crimes.”
Following this visit, Macron endorsed Ukraine’s rapid EU integration, advocating for “immediate EU candidate status.” France’s military support expanded swiftly, supplying Caesar artillery and long-range SCALP-EG missiles, steps previously unimaginable given France’s initial restraint.
At the July 2023 NATO summit in Vilnius, Macron aligned France with Poland and Eastern Europe, declaring, “Vilnius must send a clear message to Ukraine and Ukrainians. I favor stronger, concrete, and clear security guarantees” (NATO, July 2023). He asserted that “Ukraine’s path to NATO is open,” breaking with decades of cautious French diplomacy.
However, Macron’s foreign policy shift coincided with domestic challenges, including large-scale protests and a pension reform crisis. Critics suggested his assertive international stance might partly compensate for weakened domestic authority.
Macron’s strategic vision (2024–2025)
Donald Trump’s 2024 re-election sent shockwaves through Europe, prompting Macron to urge greater European autonomy: “We must develop a fully integrated European defense, industrial, and technological base.” In early 2025, France hosted an EU defense summit in Paris to boost artillery production and establish shared logistics for Eastern deployment.
Yet, ambition met resistance. Eastern European states, particularly Poland, questioned France’s reliability, citing delays in arms deliveries. The Netherlands and Czechia raised concerns over funding and the dominance of French defense contractors. Despite these tensions, France led in military aid to Ukraine, committing an additional €2 billion between January and June, including Mistral air defense systems, night-vision equipment, and cyber-defense units based in Lyon and Lviv.
In February, Macron declared at the Munich Security Conference, “Ukraine is our frontline, and our credibility as Europeans depends on our ability to defend it together.” This was followed by a trilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Scholz to finalize the ReArm Europe initiative, an €800 billion defense investment platform by 2030, with Ukraine as an observing partner.
Domestically, Macron faced scrutiny. French unions protested the reallocation of funds from welfare to military spending, while populist figures accused him of “militarising the Republic.”
NATO summit
The 2025 NATO summit in The Hague highlighted the limits of European unity and French influence. Macron urged allies to provide concrete guarantees for Ukraine and reduce reliance on U.S. defense support. However, Trump’s administration dismissed a full Ukrainian victory as “unrealistic” and opposed NATO membership as a condition for peace talks. Macron countered, “Ukraine’s place is in NATO and the EU. That is non-negotiable.”
France backed its rhetoric with action, committing €2.4 billion in military aid by mid-2025, including SCALP-EG missiles, AMX-10 RC vehicles, Mistral systems, and expanded training for 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers. Additionally, France provided €640 million in humanitarian aid, supporting field hospitals, mobile medical units, and reconstruction in Mykolaiv and Odesa.
French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu visited Kyiv in April to formalize expanded military and technological cooperation, including co-production of reconnaissance drones. Yet, France faced challenges at the summit. Slovakia and Hungary opposed precise wording on Ukraine’s NATO accession, and even Germany urged caution. The summit’s final declaration offered support but no timeline for Ukraine’s membership. A frustrated Macron stated, “We cannot ask Ukrainians to resist without offering a path. We owe them not just gratitude but guarantees.”
Macron reopens dialogue
Macron and Putin spoke by phone on 1 July for the first time since the invasion’s early months. The two-hour call, initiated by Macron, marked the end of a three-year diplomatic freeze. The Élysée emphasized Macron’s firm stance: lasting peace requires the full withdrawal of Russian troops and respect for Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
French officials described the exchange as “direct” and “unambiguous.” Unlike in 2022, France now strongly supports Ukraine with weapons, NATO advocacy, and reconstruction efforts. The call’s timing raised questions, but officials dismissed suggestions of a policy shift, framing it as a means to reinforce France’s position amid growing international diplomatic efforts by actors like China, Brazil, and the Vatican.
Reaching out to Moscow, in this sense, was less about reopening dialogue, and more about ensuring Ukraine’s interests were bolstered in a crowded diplomatic arena.
Caption: French President Emmanuel Macron reviews the troops during the annual Bastille Day military parade, in Paris, France, 14 July 2025. France celebrates its national holiday, or Bastille Day, annually on 14 July to commemorate the storming of the Bastille fortress in 1789. EPA/Mohammed Badra / POOL
Updated: July 16, 2025 - 11:52
