Emmanuel Macron's attempts with Vladimir Putin at the beginning of the war in Ukraine failed at number 10. Photo: POOL/REUTERS
Liz Truss said, that Emmanuel Macron angered Britain by sending «mixed messages» to Vladimir Putin in the months after he invaded Ukraine.
The former prime minister said Downing Street was left «disappointed» by his actions. insists on continuing negotiations with the Russian leader.
The French president continued telephone conversations with Putin long after other NATO countries cut ties with the Kremlin over its illegal war.
He then repeatedly defended his actions, arguing that he was keeping diplomatic relations with Moscow open on behalf of the West.
Mr Macron said just before Christmas that he was ready to resume talks if Putin called him. telling reporters: «I haven't changed my number.»
Boris Johnson feared the peace deal would fail.
But in a new BBC documentary to air on Monday, Ms Truss, the then foreign secretary, reveals that his efforts had been hit hard by Downing Street.
She said 'Putin versus the West': During the war she was 'disappointed' with Mr Macron 'because I thought it sent a very contradictory message' signals of Western resolve.”
Boris Johnson, the former prime minister, told how in the spring of 2022 he feared that Kyiv would be pressured into accepting a bad peace deal.
He said: “I didn’t think this was the right compromise.” . You can't negotiate with a crocodile that has bitten off half your leg and is offering to bite the other leg.”
In the documentary, Ms Truss also admitted Britain had not taken strong enough economic measures before the invasion to contain Putin.
“We realized that weapons and sanctions were the real levers we had over Russia. but we are behind in terms of our sanctions,” she said.
Mr Johnson told the program there was “deep institutional guilt” within NATO for not putting Ukraine on the path to membership sooner .
The former prime minister said the military alliance's hesitation over whether Kyiv would be allowed to join was a «fatal» mistake.
Boris Johnson says there is 'deep institutional guilt'; within NATO regarding Ukraine's path to membership. Photo: syllogi Admin/No10 Downing Street
He said: “If NATO had done what it was told and actually put Ukrainians on the right path to membership, there is an argument to be made that Putin would not have done what he did .
«It was our collective ambiguity, which for so long, endlessly sucking and blowing at the same time, was so fatal because Putin thought: 'Oh well, they're not serious.'»
Mr Johnson also lifted the veil of conversations that he spoke with Ben Wallace, the then defense secretary, about Ukraine's request for a no-fly zone under NATO control.
He said Britain and other Western allies had failed to agree to the request because they had been warned it would may start “World War III.”
«Ben Wallace has made it clear that this would mean that I or he would order our pilots to shoot down Russian fast jets,» he said.
Putin 'needs to be put back in the box'
Ukraine has formally applied for joining NATO in September 2022, and members of the alliance unanimously agreed that it should be allowed to join.
But in reality this will not happen until the war with Russia is over.
Meanwhile, countries including Britain are supplying Kiev with money and weapons and helping train its armed forces.
Mr Johnson said the Ukraine invasion should 'mark the end' of the West's soft approach to Putin , which he said needed to be “put back in the box.”
Charles Michel, president of the EU Council, added that NATO was “clearly embarrassed” by its failure to intervene in the conflict to help Ukraine.
«She can condemn this war in press releases, but she cannot enter the war so as not to provoke World War III,» he added.
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