Some EU states formally express concerns to France over Macron Russia comments - diplomats - Reuters

PARIS, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Baltic states and different European nations upset astatine comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron regarding information guarantees for Russia formally lodged disapproval and explained their presumption to France connected Monday, diplomats said.

In an interview with French TV presumption TF1 connected Dec. 3, Macron said Europe needed to hole its aboriginal information architecture and besides deliberation "how to springiness guarantees to Russia the time it returns to the negotiating table."

Those comments were instantly rebuked by Ukraine and Baltic states. While the French presidency and overseas ministry person sought to play them down, the choler appears to not person dissipated successful immoderate circles.

The Czech Republic, which holds the EU Council presidency, helped signifier enactment for the ceremonial diplomatic representation, known arsenic a "demarche".

Supporters of the demarche included the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, on with Poland and Slovakia , 2 diplomats said. Reuters was not capable to found however galore countries successful full supported the move, oregon whether the Czechs supported it.

The French, Czech and Slovak overseas ministries did not instantly respond to requests for comment. The Polish overseas ministry declined to comment.

The Czech Republic past week distributed a draught demarche, known arsenic a non paper, to EU members successful their capitals, the 3 European diplomats said. The diplomats said the insubstantial argued that erstwhile Russian efforts regarding European information architecture aimed to disagreement and weaken Europe.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine connected Feb. 24, European states and NATO members person sought to support a agreed beforehand against Moscow, launching respective rounds of sanctions portion providing important subject assistance to Kyiv.

The non-paper listed aspects of practice and dialog with Russia, ranging from a 1997 NATO-Russsia papers to proposals from December, 2021 that included guarantees demanded by Russia, the diplomats said.

Two diplomats said the Czechs, on with respective different subordinate authorities representatives, delivered the finalized demarche to the French overseas ministry's Director of Continental Europe connected Monday.

Speaking to reporters connected Friday, a French presidency authoritative said determination was thing caller successful Macron's comments adding that they were successful enactment with what Ukraine has said, which was that astatine the extremity of the warfare determination would beryllium a negotiation.

"In fact, determination is simply a discrepancy, successful different words, betwixt connected the 1 manus definite movements oregon definite radical who are trying to ... isolate a portion of a condemnation extracurricular of its discourse and the world of the enactment that we transportation retired which truly is done without difficulty," the authoritative said.

Reporting by John Irish; Additional reporting by Jan Lopatka and Alan Charlish; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel

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