If an international crisis has never been decisive in an election to the supreme magistracy, the head of state wants to make his diplomatic activism a weapon of internal politics.
Seeing each other instead of hearing each other. After multiple calls it was therefore in Moscow tête-à-tête, that the game was played, Monday, February 7, between the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Poutine. A skillfully staged face-to-face showing the two protagonists sitting at two ends of a huge table. The same one that had been used during the courteous meeting between the Hungarian Prime Minister, Victor Orban, and the head of Kremlin, on February 1. At the end, despite this distance, there was a “useful” exchange, according to Mr. Putin, of more than five hours. Proof of the “special” relationship between the two leaders.
By going to Kremlin to try the ward off the threat of Russian invasion in eastern Ukraine, Emmanuel Macron hopes to demonstrate that his strategy of “outstretched hand” towards Moscow, derided by the opposition, which considers it ineffective and naive, is not in vain. The man, who has already received Vladimir Poutine twice, first in the splendor of Versailles, in May 2017, then in the decor of Fort Brégançon (Var), in August 2019, has been able to build a unique relationship with the ex-KGB agent, to the point of being one of few European leaders capable of frank dialogue with Russian authorities.Failing to expect from this visit an explicit sign of stress relief in Russian-Ukrainian crisis, the tenant of the Elysée thinks to obtain a signal, even tiny, proving that a de-escalation is possible. And this is due to him. “It is obviously not a chosen crisis but it can allow Emmanuel Macron to show his leadership. He may be the one who will find a way for de-escalation,” supports Clément Beaune, Secretary of State for European Affairs.
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