The Washington Post article called, “After a call with Putin, Macron convinced that ‘the worst is yet to come’ and Russia wants to take all of Ukraine” updates citizens on the current status of the Ukraine vs. Russian conflict. On Thursday French president Emmanuel Macron received a call from Russian president Vladamir Putin that seemed more uptight than their previous interactions. In this 90-minute call, Macron was left feeling, “the worst is yet to come.” From Macron's understanding, Putin plans to take control of Ukraine entirely. As Putin refuses to end his attacks on Ukraine, Macron sees no solution in sight. Russian troops destroyed a large government building in Ukraine. A mistle set off a large explosion and left extensive damage to the property.
As of now, over one million refugees have left Ukraine. A french official, with anonymity per french government practice, says Putin's remarks lead him to believe he will continue his military operation to the end. According to the Kremlin’s news service, “Putin also took issue with an address to the nation Macron had given Wednesday, in which he had condemned Putin’s “brutal attack” on Ukraine and said that “Putin chose the war” (Dixon 2022). As of now, Macron is the only Western leader who has been in public contact with Putin since the invasion of Ukraine.
The two presidents spoke twice last week and this has been the French president's attempt to keep negotiations available with Russia. On March 3rd, Macron tweeted, “Maintaining dialogue to avoid human tragedies is absolutely necessary. I will continue my efforts and outreach. We must avoid the worst” (Dixon 2022).
Chloe's Opinion
Although this is happening outside of America, there are many reasons we, as Americans, should care. The Biden administration, along with NATO allies, have the power to discourage Russia. If a larger war was to begin the rest of the world would face major consequences.
The more violent, and the longer the war goes on between Russia and Ukraine, the more likely other countries are to get involved. After a war begins, it is difficult to predict what exactly will happen next. In this case, what will happen depends on Putin and his calculations which could come out of nowhere. As I previously stated that there are over a million Ukraine refugees, that number will only increase. Some refugees could travel as far as the United States. Russia's attack is only over a week old, and there has already been massive amounts of destruction. 227 Ukrainians have been reported dead.
Children are dying and peace is being disrupted in Europe. By communicating with Putin, Macron is giving the world important information that can be analyzed by government officials and others involved with the war. This gives these individuals insight into Russia's plans. Biden does not plan on fighting Russia, and is against Putin's decisions. Nevertheless, our economy has already faced a major blow due to the covid pandemic. The prices of gasoline, food, and more would be affected. As Americans, it is important to stay educated and informed on this issue. If important measures are not taken soon, we could be at major risk.
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Some questions to ask yourself:
Is Biden doing enough in his position?
Do you believe Americans should stay out of negotiations around the Russia and Ukraine situation?
Do you believe we are prepared for ripple effects?
Do you believe this war needed to happen?
Keep checking back for updates!
Stay educated :)
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