Original article (in Albanian) was published on 6/6/2024; Author: Barbara Halla
Claim: On June 6th, Macron and Europe declare war on Russia
Verdict: Missing context
Narratives about Europe’s involvement in the war between Russia and Ukraine continue to dominate social media. Recently, a statement by French President Emmanuel Macron has been taken out of context and shared on the Threads network, along with other news about EU countries’ military preparations to start a war against Russia.
| Europe at War with Russia: Macron’s Official Announcement on June 6th! |
The article in question contains some inaccuracies or information taken out of context. Firstly, Macron’s announcement on June 6th refers to the French president’s decision to enable French military instructors for Ukraine, not combat troops.
According to Macron’s proposal, French military personnel will be sent to Ukraine to train Ukrainian personnel, including mine clearance operations or repairing and maintaining military equipment. Dozens and perhaps hundreds of soldiers are expected to participate in this operation, not only from France but also from countries like Estonia and Lithuania.
This decision has not yet been formalized, as Macron expects to issue a formal statement on Thursday, June 6th, during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Paris. Zelensky’s office has not responded to journalists’ comments, while the French Ministry of Defense said it was still working with its Ukrainian counterparts ‘specifically to understand their exact needs.’
There are currently no plans for France to send combat troops to Ukraine, despite Macron’s previous remarks about being willing to do so if necessary. The article incorrectly mentions the preparation of the French army’s Rubicon brigade, which does not exist. Furthermore, no source for this quote is provided.
The article further discusses Macron’s decision as an early stage of deeper European involvement in the war in Ukraine. This narrative has been echoed by Russia, claiming that French personnel would become military targets for Russian attacks.
Additionally, the article references a statement by Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the chair of the Defense Committee in the German parliament, who has called for Germany to recruit 900,000 reservists in anticipation of Russia’s strategy.
“Putin is training his people for war and positioning them against the West. Therefore, we must become capable of defense as quickly as possible,’ Strack-Zimmermann told German media. For now, this is merely a statement from a political figure and not a national strategy that has been approved by the German parliament.”
