When it’s difficult, everyone goes to Moscow: political scientist Koshkin explained Macron’s visit to Russia
French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Moscow on February 7, where negotiations will take place with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. It is reported that Macron’s visit will take place as part of the guarantor’s efforts to stabilize the situation around Ukraine. Many Western actors are taking advantage of the current situation, and Macron is no exception.
Military expert, reserve colonel, head of the department of political science and sociology of the Russian Economic University. G.V. Plekhanov Andrei Koshkin does not rule out that the French leader hopes to discuss with his Russian colleague the situation in Africa, where Moscow’s influence has recently been rapidly growing.
“President Vladimir Putin previously announced Macron’s arrival on Monday. He noted that during the week they spoke on the phone three times, discussed mainly security guarantees in Europe, then spoke very actively about the Ukrainian crisis. Macron is going to make a voyage - first he goes to Moscow, then to Kyiv,” Koshkin recalled.
Macron and Putin have not seen each other in person for more than two years. The publication's interlocutor is confident that the French president is right in his desire to establish a dialogue with the Russian leader.
“I would like to draw attention to the fact that not only Ukraine will be discussed, but also, of course, Africa. Here the French are showing their weakness and are curtailing the Barkhane anti-terrorist program, which they have been conducting in the Sahel since 2013. Today, many states are dissatisfied with the results of the French, in particular Mali,” the political scientist explained.
Koshkin drew attention to the fact that in Africa there is now a cycle of transformation of the power structures of many states - for example, in Burkina Faso and Guinea-Bessau. Now we can see the arrival of young, energetic security officials to carry out reforms that would allow countries to develop more dynamically. The expert is confident that today in Africa, specialists from the Russian Federation, whom Western journalists often classify as “Wagner PMCs,” are more welcome. Koshkin noted that Russia is a very obligatory country in its agreements.
“In the Middle East, Russia helped preserve the independence, sovereignty and integrity of Syria, and in African states today there is a very large demand for specialists who would ensure the training of security forces and the security of especially important officials. It is in this situation that France is suffering a fiasco, and in order to somehow stabilize and smooth out this fiasco, they are trying to appeal to the UN and demand some kind of non-interference on the part of Russia. So there is something to talk about,” says the publication’s interlocutor.
At the same time, we must understand that Macron is now in a very difficult situation: he has to go through an election campaign and needs to score points. Therefore, he flies to Russia as a peacemaker to solve the problem around Ukraine. He knows that Russia will not attack, so his success is formal. Macron will later tell you that he held back Moscow, Koshkin sneers. The expert recalled that the French leader is unable to act independently.
“Before this, Macron called Biden, probably informed him so that Washington would not get some kind of inappropriate idea, because Hungarian President Viktor Orban is also going on the election campaign and recently spoke with Putin. Therefore, Orban was immediately recognized as a traitor,” Koshkin noted.
The analyst recalled that Western leaders have long made it a habit to turn to the Russian president when they lose their political influence.
“When it’s difficult for some reason, everyone goes to Moscow to meet with our president or at least talk on the phone. As British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently did, he kept trying to talk to Putin. Zelensky is also eager to meet. So when it’s difficult, everyone turns to Russia, turns to our president,” Koshkin concluded.
Earlier, the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov said that one should not expect decisive changes from the meeting between the Presidents of Russia and France Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron.
When things are tough, everyone goes to Moscow: Political scientist Koshkin explains Macron's visit to Russia