Macron's words on "guarantees" for Russia unpleasantly startled German authorities: their reaction

Macron's words about some "guarantees" that the world supposedly owes to a terrorist state - Russia - deeply shocked and surprised the governing coalition in Germany. They said that the collective West does not owe Russia anything, and that it is the Kremlin, which has an aggressive and invasive position, that should guarantee security to the world, writes DW.

In particular, Nils Schmid, a foreign policy expert with the Social Democratic Party of Germany, stressed that NATO has never threatened Russia, but rather created a common framework for resolving security issues by adopting the NATO-Russia Founding Act:

It is primarily about guaranteeing European security from Russia and strengthening security in Europe in case of Russian aggression. And as long as Russia pursues its imperialist foreign policy, peaceful order in Europe is not possible at all

Johann Wadeful, a Bundestag member representing the opposition Christian Democratic Union, said that Macron's words were worrisome and should be discussed in NATO and the EU. Wadeful said that Ukraine needed guarantees first of all and that Macron himself was a transmitter of Russian propaganda.

He was supported by Jürgen Trittin, a foreign policy expert of the Union-90/Green party, who said that in the current situation Russia, which is the source of aggression, should voice the promised security guarantees for Ukraine

A number of German politicians sided with Macron, for example the head of the right-wing populist opposition party Alternative for Germany, Tino Croupalla, said that such an initiative should have been taken by Berlin and not Paris.

German leftist leader Martin Schirdevan generally welcomed Macron's statement, noting that "the party urgently needs peace talks to end this miserable war"