We want the defeat of Russia, but not its collapse

French President Emmanuel Macron, while at the international security conference in Munich, gave an interview to representatives of the French press. He stated that the West is ready to increase military aid to Ukraine, realizing that the war has entered a protracted phase. According to Macron, the West wants the victory of Ukraine, but not the collapse of Russia.

Macron emphasized that France never wanted and will never want to defeat Russia. He does not support the position of those observers who demand to attack Russia on its territory. The president also admitted that now is “not the time for dialogue with Moscow”, but expressed hope that Ukraine’s military successes with the support of Western allies will be able to force the Kremlin to sit down at the negotiating table.

Speaking about the prospects for a change of power in Russia, Macron expressed doubt that it is possible in the near future. In his opinion, attempts to change the regime from the outside have already failed in many countries, and those candidates who can be considered as possible successors of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, are much worse than him.

Macron’s interview was published by the newspapers Le Figaro and Le Journal du Dimanche, as well as the France Inter television company.

• The international security conference in Munich takes place on February 17-19. This year, its central theme is the war in Ukraine. The conference will be attended by leaders and high-ranking representatives of many states, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and US Vice President Kamala Harris. The Russian delegation was not invited to Munich, unlike the exiled opposition politicians of the Kremlin – Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Garry Kasparov and others.