LFor a day, Paris appeared on the coronary heart of Western diplomacy. This Tuesday, January 6, whereas the warfare between Russia and Ukraine rages, the snow-covered courtyard of the Elysée is the scene of negotiations “historical”proclaims Emmanuel Macron. As proof, the American emissaries, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, traveled to France. Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, hero of Europe, is there like Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, the president of the Italian council, Giorgia Meloni, and even the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney. All members of the “coalition of the willing” kyiv’s supporters responded.
THE “Paris summit”based on the terminology of the French president, is introduced as successful. It is not going to permit the define of peace, which Russia doesn’t need, nevertheless it should make an impression. Show that Europe is united and that France weighs on the worldwide scene. Didn’t Steve Witkoff “thanked God” to have Emmanuel Macron at his facet, a “be exceptional” ?
The French president makes skillful use of protocol and the beauties of his nation, observes an in depth good friend of the top of state. But the decor and the trimmings do little to masks the difficulties of France, a rustic weakened politically and economically on the worldwide scene. Emmanuel Macron is much from being the one chief weakened by the return of world geopolitics guided by strongmen and their neo-imperialist impulses. Neither Friedrich Merz nor Keir Starmer handle to impose their diplomacy on the United States.
The time has come for the marginalization of Europe. But France not appears to be heard, together with by its companions within the Old Continent. The adoption of the Mercosur free commerce treaty by the European Union on January 9, regardless of the opposition of Emmanuel Macron, is a scathing testimony to this. “France has strong diplomatic ambitions, but it does not have the means for its policy”notes Shahin Vallée, researcher in political financial system on the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik assume tank.
You have 62.91% of this text left to learn. The relaxation is reserved for subscribers.
https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2026/01/15/l-impasse-sur-l-adoption-du-budget-2026-handicape-la-diplomatie-de-la-france_6662379_3232.html