Moscow shares the position of French President Emmanuel Macron that the future European security architecture should provide for the absence of confrontation with Russia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleksandr Grusko said on Wednesday, Interfax cites.

“We certainly share this thesis. All these years, or rather the last decades, Russia has been consistently working towards the formation of such an architecture of the Euro-Atlantic space, based on the principle of indivisibility of security,” Hrushko told Interfax.

His comments came after Macron gave a wide-ranging interview to the French publication l’Opinion, in which he said, among other things, that “the European security architecture must fully ensure the security of tomorrow’s Ukraine.”

At the same time, the French president added that this security structure “must also develop a non-conflict approach to Russia and restore a stable balance.”

Grusko told one of the Russian state news agencies “Interfax” that the position expressed by the leader from the Elysee Palace “comes closer to what we stand for – the indivisibility of security, when no one seeks to strengthen their own security at the expense of the security of others.”

“But the question is different. How is this position consistent with the goal formulated by NATO and the EU to “inflict a strategic defeat” on our country by providing the regime in Kyiv with long-range and lethal weapons with the help of other support measures designed to prolong the military operations to the last Ukrainian as much as possible,” the Russian diplomat added.

Russia, however, objected to Macron’s vassalage to China

Moscow’s new comments came after it contradicted the French president earlier this week over comments he also made to l’Opinion journalists, saying Russia had “already geopolitically lost” the war in Ukraine and was turning into a vassal state of China.

“It has de facto entered into a form of subordination to China and lost access to the Baltic Sea, which was critical because it led to the decision of Sweden and Finland to join NATO,” Emmanuel Macron said, noting that “this was unthinkable.” just two years ago. So this is already a geopolitical defeat.”

“Let’s be clear, Russia should not win this military war. Therefore, it depends on us how we will help the Ukrainians in their counteroffensive and how to prepare the issue of security guarantees for the negotiations that will inevitably take place,” he added.

“This approach is completely false and is the result of a complete misunderstanding of the essence of what is happening” between the two forces, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded on Monday.

“Our relations with China have the character of a special strategic partnership,” he added, at the same time confirming his “categorical disagreement” with the position expressed by Emmanuel Macron.

France will train Ukrainian pilots

The French leader’s comments were made in the context of the visit of his Ukrainian colleague Volodymyr Zelenskyi to Paris after the leader’s trips from Kyiv to Italy and Germany.

“With each visit, Ukraine’s defense and offensive capabilities expand. Ties with Europe are strengthening, and pressure on Russia is increasing,” Zelensky wrote on Twitter shortly after arriving in France, adding that he was to meet with his “friend Emmanuel” Macron.

Despite some controversial statements by the French leader about the relationship Europe should maintain with Russia, his government has approved large packages of financial and military aid to Kyiv, including sending modern air defense systems and armored vehicles to Ukraine.

After dinner in Paris on Sunday, Macron and Zelensky announced in a joint statement that France would train and equip several Ukrainian battalions with dozens of armored vehicles.

As for Ukraine’s request for fighter jets, it is “a little premature”, President Macron’s adviser repeated, reminding that the training of pilots is required first, a long and complicated process.

But the next evening, Macron announced that France would begin training Ukrainian pilots and continue to help Kyiv’s military prepare a counteroffensive to repel Russian invasion forces.

“I opened the door for pilot training. And this along with several other European countries that are ready. I think there are ongoing discussions with the Americans. Training can begin now,” said the French president.

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