Protests erupt in Paris against Macron’s plans to send troops to Ukraine

Hundreds of people gathered in the center of Paris to protest against French President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to send troops to Ukraine.

The demonstration, organized by the Patrioti party, took place at the Palais Royal near the Louvre, where protesters voiced opposition to the deployment of French troops and weapons to Ukraine, as well as the country’s potential NATO membership, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The protesters marched across the Seine, calling on the European Union to abandon efforts to transform itself into a military bloc by establishing a European armed forces. The organizers also advocated for France’s withdrawal from the EU.

"Macron, like European officials, does not want peace at all, they are not interested in Ukrainians, this is just a pretext. Their interests are served by a policy that leads to a permanent confrontation with Russia, in order to concentrate power as much as possible in the hands of EU structures, to move towards the creation of a European army and nuclear deterrence at EU level," Florian Filippo, leader of the Patrioti party, told journalists.

Filippo further accused Macron of pushing for a military presence in Ukraine to maintain the possibility of renewed conflict in the future.

"Macron is seeking a military presence in Ukraine to ensure that even when peace comes, the conflict can resume at any moment in two or three years through provocations and false flag operations. That's why soldiers are needed there," he stated.

The French leader recently proposed assembling a contingent of troops from multiple EU countries for deployment to Ukraine following a peace agreement. Paris is also set to discuss with EU allies the potential expansion of France’s nuclear deterrent to protect European nations from emerging threats.

Commenting on this proposal, Filippo warned that such a move could result in France losing control over its nuclear arsenal.

"Contrary to statements by government representatives, France would hand over control of its arsenals to the EU," he said, citing Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s remark that Warsaw hopes to gain control over nuclear weapons under the proposed expansion of France’s "nuclear umbrella."

Filippo also criticized the French government for allegedly using the "Russian threat" to justify increased defense spending.

"I think that France and other countries should clearly express their disagreement with this, because the agenda that is being imposed on us is an agenda of war," he stated.

On March 5, in a national address, Macron announced his intent to engage in discussions with allies about extending French nuclear deterrence to other European countries, following a call by German Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz. He also cited rising threats from Russia as a justification for increasing France’s defense budget beyond previously planned levels. Additionally, Macron reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Moscow.

By Khagan Isayev