©(Gonzalo FUENTES, AFP)
French Parliament will hold a vote on Tuesday on President Macron's Ukraine strategy, with political tensions rising ahead of the European Parliament elections, showcasing varying party stances on the conflict with Russia.
French President Emmanuel Macron's Ukraine strategy will be put to a symbolic vote in parliament's lower house on Tuesday as political tensions rage in the run-up to June's European Parliament elections.
Following a debate, the National Assembly lower house will hold a non-binding vote on the government's Ukraine strategy including a bilateral security agreement signed by Macron and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky last month.
While the vote will be symbolic, it will give political parties an opportunity to publicly express their positions in relation to Macron's strategy on the conflict as Russia's invasion of Ukraine stretches into its third year.
After a meeting between the president and party leaders last week, some of them said that Macron's stance on Ukraine had caused concern.
With the support of the conservative Republicans party (LR), the outcome of the vote could offer backing to Macron's strategy.
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal will kick off the debate at around 4:30 PM (15:30 GMT), and the vote is expected at around 8:00 PM.
The far-right National Rally (RN), which leads Macron's alliance by a wide margin ahead of the June elections, will abstain, its 28-year-old leader Jordan Bardella said on Tuesday.
Speaking to broadcaster France 2, he cited "red lines" including the dispatch of Western ground troops, which Macron refused to rule out, and the possibility of Ukraine's membership in NATO and the European Union.
"We need to be very careful," said Bardella. "Yes to support for Ukraine, but no to war with Russia."
The Senate upper house was set to hold similar debates on Wednesday.
Speaking to French broadcaster BFM TV on Monday, Zelensky said that there was no need for French ground troops in his war-torn country as long as "Ukraine holds."
"Your children are not going to die in Ukraine," he said.
With AFP
French President Emmanuel Macron's Ukraine strategy will be put to a symbolic vote in parliament's lower house on Tuesday as political tensions rage in the run-up to June's European Parliament elections.
Following a debate, the National Assembly lower house will hold a non-binding vote on the government's Ukraine strategy including a bilateral security agreement signed by Macron and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky last month.
While the vote will be symbolic, it will give political parties an opportunity to publicly express their positions in relation to Macron's strategy on the conflict as Russia's invasion of Ukraine stretches into its third year.
After a meeting between the president and party leaders last week, some of them said that Macron's stance on Ukraine had caused concern.
With the support of the conservative Republicans party (LR), the outcome of the vote could offer backing to Macron's strategy.
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal will kick off the debate at around 4:30 PM (15:30 GMT), and the vote is expected at around 8:00 PM.
The far-right National Rally (RN), which leads Macron's alliance by a wide margin ahead of the June elections, will abstain, its 28-year-old leader Jordan Bardella said on Tuesday.
Speaking to broadcaster France 2, he cited "red lines" including the dispatch of Western ground troops, which Macron refused to rule out, and the possibility of Ukraine's membership in NATO and the European Union.
"We need to be very careful," said Bardella. "Yes to support for Ukraine, but no to war with Russia."
The Senate upper house was set to hold similar debates on Wednesday.
Speaking to French broadcaster BFM TV on Monday, Zelensky said that there was no need for French ground troops in his war-torn country as long as "Ukraine holds."
"Your children are not going to die in Ukraine," he said.
With AFP
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