Macron reassures: “No problems between the Chancellor and me” The real reason why Olaf Scholz does not supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles

‘There have never been any problems between the Chancellor and me. We have a lot in common in terms of objectives and situation,” Macron told the newspaper “Le Parisien” (Sunday edition) after the meeting with Scholz in Berlin. “Only the way they are translated is different, because the strategic cultures of our countries are different.” Germany has a culture of great caution and non-intervention, while France has nuclear weapons and has maintained and expanded a professional army.

The meeting with Scholz on Friday, which was followed by a three-way conversation with new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, followed a Ukrainian conference organized by Macron three weeks ago that resulted in a scandal. Although Macron did not publicly rule out sending ground troops for the first time, Scholz contradicted him several times in the following days and said he would not send Bundeswehr soldiers to Ukraine.

Macron told ‘Parisien’ that he then proposed a meeting with Scholz two weeks ago. “I wanted to come to Germany very quickly so that there would be no debate about supposedly existing strategic differences: they do not exist.”

On the issue of ground troops, Macron stuck to his position even after the conversation with Scholz. “Maybe at some point it will be necessary – I don’t want it, I won’t initiate it – to undertake ground operations, whatever they may be, to counter the Russian forces. The strength of France is that we can do this,” he said. “It is our duty to prepare for all scenarios.” It would be a mistake not to do this. “By the way, I am convinced that in some of these scenarios everyone who is able to do so with their model will take responsibility.”

As Macron told the Paris newspaper, the West should not be frightened by Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Putin cultivates a discourse of fear. We should not be intimidated because we are not dealing with a superpower,” Macron said. Despite the differences, Germany, France and Poland pledged after the tripartite summit in Berlin to stand together in supporting Ukraine in its defensive struggle against Russia. (sda/dpa)