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France’s arms supplies to Kiev make its mediation impossible

Former Ambassador of the Lugansk People's Republic in Moscow Rodion Miroshnik considers Emmanuel Macron's statements unworthy of the president of a country like France

MOSCOW, December 21. /TASS/. France’s arms supplies to the Kiev government make it a party to the conflict, so its mediation or guarantees are ruled out, the former ambassador of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) to Moscow, Rodion Miroshnik, told TASS on Wednesday.

Macron told the LCE television channel on Tuesday that his country had delivered Crotale air defense systems to Ukraine, and was planning another delivery early next year. However, in the same interview, Macron reiterated his call to provide security guarantees to Russia when hostilities in Ukraine are over, and rejected the Kiev government’s criticism of this initiative.

Commenting on Macron’s remarks, Miroshnik replied: "By supplying weapons to the Ukrainian regime, France automatically exposes itself as a party to the conflict and an accomplice to the crime. In a situation of this kind, it would be pointless to contemplate about any guarantees or mediation by this French president."

To date, France has already delivered 18 Caesar self-propelled guns to Ukraine. According to Le Monde, Paris plans to give Kiev 6 to 12 more vehicles with expanded ammunition and enhanced armor, out of the supplies that were contracted by Denmark. According to the L'Opinion newspaper, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces also approved supplies to Ukraine of the 155-mm towed howitzers TRF1, which went into service in 1979.

Apart from that, France provided the Kiev government with armored vehicles, anti-tank rockets, Mistral infrared homing short range air defense systems, ammunition, field rations, nuclear, biological and chemical protection equipment and medical kits. Besides, Paris has also provided the Ukrainian armed forces with cartridges "of all calibers" and fuel.