TASS: Lavrov compares Macron to Hitler, Napoleon

Photo: TASS

Russia will not stand idly by and watch the appearance of NATO troops in Ukraine under the guise of peacekeepers and will not tolerate such actions from the West, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference, TASS reports.

"There is no way we will tolerate this kind of actions (deployment of NATO 'peacekeepers' in Ukraine – TASS)," the top diplomat said. "This would mean not an alleged hybrid, but a direct, official, open involvement of NATO countries in the war against Russia. This cannot be permitted," he emphasized.

The top diplomat pointed to French President Emmanuel Macron's latest nervous statement that Russia allegedly poses a threat to Europe and that to counter this threat, it is necessary to send troops to Ukraine.

"We will consider the presence of these troops on Ukrainian territory in the same way as we considered the potential presence of NATO in Ukraine, because no matter what flags this operation flies: EU flags, national flags of countries providing contingents, no matter what chevrons up to Bandera chevrons are pasted on the sleeves of uniforms, it will still be NATO troops, forces of NATO countries," Lavrov emphasized.

At the same time, the foreign minister mentioned that "for some reason the Irish have already expressed their readiness to send their contingent" to Ukraine. "What the hell do they want outside NATO?" Lavrov said sarcastically. Australia and Canada have also expressed similar readiness, he said. "Of course, how can this be without it [Canada]?" the Russian foreign minister pointed out. "So the company that is gathering there is quite interesting," he added.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov compared statements made by French President Emmanuel Macron to those of Adolf Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte.

"Unlike his predecessors, who also sought to fight with Russia — Napoleon, Hitler — Mr. Macron does not act very diplomatically," he said at a press conference.

"Because they stated openly: 'We must conquer Russia, we must defeat Russia.' And he apparently wants the same thing, but for some reason, he says that it is necessary to fight Russia so that it does not defeat France, that Russia poses dangers to France and Europe."

"And with regard to these, frankly speaking, unreasonable accusations of Russia in preparing a war against Europe and France, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has repeatedly called such thoughts absurd, nonsense," he said.

"It is probably perfectly clear to any rational person that Russia does not need this. Russia needs to eliminate the root causes of the situation that the West has created in Ukraine to subdue, influence, and wage war against the Russian Federation."

"The President [of the US Donald] Trump and his team are well aware that this was the root cause, and they are publicly discussing it. At a time when the Europeans, who for some reason decided that the United States has abandoned their interests, are downplaying the root causes, avoiding the topic of NATO, and are trying to assemble combat forces within NATO to deploy on the territory of Ukraine," he said.

He mentioned the legislative eradication of the Russian language, media, culture, and the ban on the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church as another fundamental cause of the conflict in Ukraine.

"So far, no one in the West has spoken a word about this, although human rights are supposed to be a priority in the West for any other reason," Lavrov said. "At the same time, the clerks from Zelensky's office claim that they have the most transparent democracy in the world. Europe swallows it all and remains silent."

In his opinion, Macron's nuclear comments are a threat to Russia.

"It was very strange to me to hear that Mr. Macron, in an aggressive manner, continuing the work of Napoleon, who wanted to conquer Russia, but concealing his true misguided intentions, also began to speak out and criticize [Russian President Vladimir] Putin for constantly "deceiving", thereby entering into an absentee dialogue with President Trump," he said.

Earlier, Macron, in an address to the nation, said that he would begin discussions with allies about taking the European countries under protection of the French nuclear deterrent forces on request incoming German chancellor Friedrich Merz. He also spoke about growing threats to Europe and the republic, including allegedly from Russia.

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