As of: March 18, 2024, 6:55 p.m
By: Philipp Bräuner
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Macron's new image as a strong man in Europe is a political calculation, say insiders.
He particularly wants to make a name for himself in the intra-European struggle with Scholz.
Paris – Emmanuel Macron's appearance in recent weeks has surprised many.
He caused an international stir with his proposal to send Western ground troops to Ukraine.
Specifically, these were primarily furious Russians on the one hand and frightened allies of France on the other, above all the German Chancellor.
Macron's ground troop advance also sent a targeted signal to Olaf Scholz
When comparing the current Macron with the one from a good two years ago, this behavior is even more surprising.
Before Russia's attack on Ukraine, the French president was one of the calming voices in what was then at least a less open conflict between the West and the Federation.
Intra-European tussle: According to insiders, Macron sees the division of roles at the top of Europe at risk.
© Michael Kappeler/dpa
While many commentators see the French president's rabid advance as a smokescreen to cover up his own under-commitment to supporting Ukraine, the French's confidants are now pointing out the power-political dimension of his solo effort.
This obviously affects the inner-European power structure in particular.
Macron and Scholz’s claim to leadership in Europe – gentlemen’s agreement violated
According to the British newspaper
The Telegraph,
Macron's talk of deploying Western ground troops is also a direct message to Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
From the Élysée Palace's perspective, he violated a "gentlemen's agreement" between the leading nations in Europe, according to
an anonymous source, according to the
Telegraph .
Specifically, the core of the matter is that Germany and France have so far been assigned different leadership roles: Germany in the economy and France in the military.
“These boundaries are currently blurring and there are some attempts to invade each other’s space,” the
Telegraph
quoted the insider as saying.
Macron insider: Scholz provokes conflict over leadership in Europe
On the one hand, it is Scholz's repeated warnings to other Western states to increase their aid to Ukraine, which the French president is probably not wrong to take personally.
On the other hand, Scholz's move to rely on a US and Israeli make for the Arrow 3 missile defense system undermines Macron's credo to buy defense equipment in Europe.
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For this reason, the Weimar Triangle meeting of Poland, France and Germany was seen primarily as a crisis meeting between quarreling partners, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was seen as a mediator.
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