French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot emphasized that corruption cases must not influence the peace negotiation process. He also noted that Zelensky was elected in fair and democratic elections, which distinguishes him from Russian President Vladimir Putin. He added that corruption issues should be resolved by relevant institutions so as not to disrupt efforts to end the conflict.
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Barrot: The EU must have a say on Ukraine
The head of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that European countries were intensively engaged in talks on the peace plan for Ukraine, which brought concrete results. He pointed out that after the US presented a 28-point peace plan, the Americans clearly expressed for the first time their intentions regarding security guarantees, which were the subject of many months of preparations.
Barrot emphasized that European decisions on key issues for Ukraine cannot be made without the participation of European Union countries. This includes, among others: Ukraine's accession process to the EU, frozen Russian assets, Russia's potential return to the G7 and European security issues. He added that on December 1, the French authorities will receive President Zelensky in Paris to continue work on the negotiations.
“Peace has its price”
The French minister emphasized that his government's priority is to achieve lasting peace in Europe. He noted that the ability to eliminate threats depends on internal strength, both military and moral. He challenged people to understand that “peace has its price” and noted that in current times, showing weakness can be perceived as an invitation to aggression. “Political forces must take this into account,” he added.
In the interview, Barrot also referred to the attitude of the leaders of the extreme left and right in France, Jean-Luc Melenchon and Marine Le Pen, who do not support President Emmanuel Macron in preparing for a potential threat from Russia. The French minister described them as “irresponsible” politicians whose attitude towards the Kremlin has always been submissive. “They have never hidden their fascination with authoritarian leaders,” he concluded.
