French MP: Russian Lies Now Exposed

• 13.06.2025, 9:45

Ukraine has bought time for Europe.

Can Europe defend Ukraine without the United States? Why are Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin stalling for time? Which country could become the next victim of the Kremlin's aggressive policy? What lies ahead for Belarus?

The website Charter97.org discussed these issues with French Member of Parliament Frédéric Petit.

— What are the goals of the Trump administration in pressuring Ukraine to participate in negotiations for a so—called peace deal?

— I don't assess it too high. I'm not sure whether the American administration does have goals. I don't know if in general they are at the level of a good understanding of what is happening in this region.

For me, this is a complex situation. If someone says that it will be resolved within 24 hours, and then cries because Putin is crazy, then I don't know whether there is any goal at all. The present moment — thanks to Zelensky, the Russian lie is now exposed. I am afraid that we are in a period where there is a common interest of the Kremlin administration and the Trump administration in the game of delay. This could last for a while: one week I say yes, the next week I say yes, then I say yes, and now I say that I will speak through a memorandum, I say that I will send it right away and so on — because for Putin it is a relief, he continues to take two kilometers every day (at huge personnel costs).

For Trump, this is a possibility that he will be able to say: "Look, I did something," — and in three years, when he will finally retire, he will be a candidate for the Nobel Prize.

There is one thing that I see in this situation (maybe I am mistaken): I was in Ukraine two weeks ago, and I feel that this situation gives Europe a little more time to organize itself.

I think that we also have to prepare. The Russian—Lithuanian war has already started. A new book with an introduction by Lavrov, called The History of Lithuania, has been published in Moscow and it says that the Lithuanian language does not exist, that the only good times for Lithuania were when it was in the empire, that there is no possibility of understanding the history of Lithuania without inserting it in the history of Belarus, and so on. This is reminiscent of Putin's article "On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians" from the summer of 2021, which became the first step towards an open war in Ukraine. I think that we are at this point.

— Could the Baltic countries become the Kremlin's next target?

— Yes.

— One day Trump can be very deferential with Putin, the next day, there can be threats. Why are there such sudden changes in rhetoric?

— There is no strategy here. This is a geopolitics based on a permanent show. How can such maneuvers be put only on X, and not on declarations, on verified texts that can be analyzed. For me, this is not geopolitics, this is a guy who plays golf and sometimes — with a phone. I can't and don't want to look for a strategy where there is none. He feels that people have had enough: maybe there were videos showing bombings of Kiev. And he reacts, this is just a reaction. This is not a strategy, this is not a statesman.

— If the United States withdrew its support for Ukraine, would Europe be able to support Ukraine on its own (without the US)?

— It will be difficult, but I am convinced that we have to, because we are next on the list.

— Let's say, if the United States were to withdraw today, then of course there would be big problems in Ukraine.

— After all, it happened like this, that the United States stopped sharing intelligence, and they immediately noticed that it was stupidity. I don't think it will happen again. I have to say, these military things are secret and I don't want to talk about them too much. The question is not relevant now — it is not because we are not strong, that we don't have to fight, or accept to be dominated. I don't think in these categories that you put on the table, because I don't believe that it will be like this : now, tomorrow or even in a year.

This does not change the fact that we are attacked, this is our confrontation and we have to organize ourselves as soon as possible. The question is what to do.

— Do you think that there is a risk in principle that Europe might remain alone without the support of the United States, its most important ally?

— Now we are talking about it. Five years ago it would have been unimaginable. Now it is imaginable. But, do I believe in it ? No. Not in the future.

I will fly with my colleagues from Europe to Washington. There are still talks. America is a great democracy. America is not just Trump.

— So, you believe that regardless of the possible resistance by the administration, some support for Ukraine can be pushed forward?

— Well, yes. For example, Musk withdrew from DOGE because he knew that it would not work. Everyone said from the very beginning that it would not work, that these were stupid decisions, and now he himself noticed it. To put on TikTok and Twitter people being fired from their offices cannot make a politic, that doesn’t work. Now the Trump administration is being challenged in court, because this is a democracy. There is a court, and the court will say that it has no right to throw people out.

This is a difficult moment for American democracy, but it is a great democracy. And democracy is not just elections: there is also separation of powers, there are institutions, there are citizens that are starting to react. I do not believe that America will become an anti—democracy.

— Let's talk about the EU, what are the priorities in preparing for a possible confrontation?

— Military industry.

— As of today, Belarus is no longer on the front pages, as it was in 2020, but thousands of people remain in prison. There are new arrests every day for such minor things as a Facebook like. What would you like to tell the people of Belarus?

— I talk about political prisoners with my colleagues every day. I am the chairman of the parliamentary group on this topic. The next forum on Belarus will be in the French parliament. This is all sorted out. Mrs. Speaker agreed, and we will organize it.

There will be no solution to the problem and there will be no security architecture in Europe without Belarus. Belarus is not just a problem, Belarus will be part of the solution.