Russia issued a stern warning to French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, dismissing European proposals to send NATO peacekeeping forces to Ukraine and ridiculing his height by calling him ‘Micron.’ This came after Macron described Russia as a threat to Europe in a national address on Wednesday, suggesting that Paris could discuss extending its nuclear umbrella to its allies.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov labeled Macron’s speech as “highly confrontational,” stating, “This (speech) is, of course, a threat against Russia.” Lavrov also compared Macron unfavorably to historical leaders who had waged war against Russia, saying, “Unlike their predecessors, who also wanted to fight against Russia, Napoleon, Hitler, Mr Macron does not act very gracefully, because at least they said it bluntly: ‘We must conquer Russia, we must defeat Russia'”.
The escalating rhetoric comes as tensions between Russia and the West reach levels unseen since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, with concerns over the potential for global conflict remaining high due to the large number of nuclear warheads possessed by Russia and the United States.