Macron: West will reconsider support for Ukraine if counteroffensive fails

French President Emmanuel Macron said the West would have to reconsider support for the Ukrainian Armed Forces if Ukraine’s counteroffensive fails. He announced this at the Globsec security forum in Bratislava.

“We must prepare public opinion in our countries for this and be able to support Ukraine in the context of a protracted conflict of medium and high intensity,” Macron said (quoted from “RIA News”).

Macron said if the West wants long-term peace, it must give Ukraine the means to prevent any aggression and security guarantees. A successful Ukrainian counter-offensive could allow a dialogue about peace, Macron said.

Earlier today, the White House announced a counteroffensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the summer of 2023. The United States will continue to supply Ukraine with military equipment for these purposes, said John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator at the White House National Security Council.

Ukraine has been announcing a counteroffensive since the winter, with conflicting statements from Kyiv periodically on the subject, with some officials claiming the counteroffensive has already begun while others say preparations are ongoing. However, the Russian side also speaks about the activation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the front line. “We see activation along the entire line of contact, this is not yet the counter-offensive that has been talked about a lot,” Denis Pushilin, acting head of the DPR, said on May 15.