Okay, let's talk about this whole France-Ukraine security agreement. It got approved by French lawmakers on Tuesday, but you wouldn't guess that from the drama in the National Assembly. This whole thing has revealed some major disagreements over President Macron's policies towards Ukraine and Russia.
So, What's in the Deal?
The security pact is a 10-year deal, see? France has promised to send even more weapons to Ukraine, help train soldiers, and throw up to 3 billion euros for military aid in 2024. Big money!
This comes as Macron has started taking a tougher stance on Russia. He's been pushing Ukraine's allies to step up their support. He even suggested Western troops could end up in Ukraine, which left some Ukrainian officials fuming. Some worried the vote in France wouldn't be overwhelmingly pro-Ukraine, and that this would hurt Macron's efforts to ramp up support.
The Vote: Approved, But Not Without Drama
In the end, the agreement got approved – big time. 372 votes in favor, with 99 against and 101 abstaining. Still, the debate before the vote? Yikes.
"You're pretending like you're either with Macron or with Putin… that's pathetic," shouted far-right leader Marine Le Pen in Parliament.
Analysts say Macron pushed for this vote to paint the far-right and far-left parties as weak on Russia in the lead-up to the European elections in June. Polls show Le Pen's party could have a strong showing, so this was a strategic move.
France Ukraine Security Pact: Macron's Gamble
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal called abstaining on the vote "running away from responsibility." He even said voting against the pact would be like helping Putin out. Ouch!
Thing is, Macron's been talking tough on Russia lately, after a long time urging against humiliating them. This change in tone has some folks raising eyebrows. Analysts at EuroIntelligence call Macron turning his party into a "be ready for war" crew a risky bet.
Public opinion in France about the war is changing, too. A recent poll showed support for sending money and weapons to Ukraine has dropped a bit. Maybe folks are starting to feel the pinch of all that spending?
The Debate Continues
This whole situation shows how complicated France's relationship with Ukraine and Russia really is. With elections coming up, you can bet politicians will keep using this issue to score points. It's hard to say where the support for Ukraine will end up going forward, though. One thing's for sure: this debate is far from over.
