French President Emmanuel Macron went to Moscow to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the crisis in Ukraine last week. Upon his arrival, he was told that if he wanted to meet and interact with Putin, he would have to take a Russian COVID test.
But Macron, fearing what might happen if Russia got a hold of his DNA, declined. The result was “social distancing,” enforced by the Russians, when Macron met Putin.
What might Russia do with Macron’s DNA? Perhaps they’re planning to create a Macron clone and slip him into Élysée Palace when no one is looking. Or is that a movie plot?
Where’s Waldo? The strange thing about that chavvy oblong table is not Macron refusing to leave his DNA on a Russian PCR or Putin wanting to convey how distant the West is from meeting his demands. It’s where’s Zelensky? pic.twitter.com/TtNCncrlty
— Rodrigo Villamizar (@VillamizarRod1) February 11, 2022
The “Zelensky” in question was Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. But the question of whether Putin wanted to send a message is a good one.
Commençons à bâtir une réponse utile pour la Russie, utile pour toute notre Europe, une réponse qui permette d’éviter la guerre, de construire les éléments de confiance, de stabilité, de visibilité. Ensemble. pic.twitter.com/gutNEE5Frb
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) February 7, 2022
Translation: “Let’s start building a response that is useful for Russia, useful for all of our Europe, a response that makes it possible to avoid war, to build the elements of confidence, stability and visibility. Together.”
We can’t even stand in the same zip code together but we can “build the elements of confidence, stability and visibility. Together”?
But two sources who have knowledge of the French president’s health protocol told Reuters Macron had been given a choice: either accept a PCR test done by the Russian authorities and be allowed to get close to Putin, or refuse and have to abide by more stringent social distancing.”We knew very well that meant no handshake and that long table. But we could not accept that they get their hands on the president’s DNA,” one of the sources told Reuters, referring to security concerns if the French leader was tested by Russian doctors.
The two men apparently found some kind of middle ground.
Will Putin and Macron do face painting after? #Ukraine #pointless #lipservice pic.twitter.com/hi9agrWzmZ
— Tarquin (@Tarquin_Helmet) February 7, 2022
In truth, Macron was had by Putin, as a Russian statement deliberately undercutting the French president was released shortly after he landed in Ukraine after flying there immediately following his meeting with Putin.
According to news reports, French officials said that Macron had left Moscow with commitments that Russian troops would not stay in neighboring Belarus after military exercises this month, and that Russia would not conduct any new maneuvers near Ukraine in the near future.
A Kremlin spokesman rejected those reports. “In the current situation, Moscow and Paris could not make a deal. France is an E.U. and NATO member,” he said, adding, “France is not leading NATO.”
In Kyiv, where Macron met with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, the French leader said: “You must not underestimate the tension that surrounds the situation that we are living through, its unprecedented nature. I do not believe this crisis can be solved thanks to a few hours of discussions.”
Macron is a rank amateur in the power game and Putin took full advantage. Dangling a prospect for peace on the eve of war and then pulling it away like Lucy pulling Charlie Brown’s football away is an old trick used by Hitler, Stalin, and other conquerors over the last century. It is devastating psychologically to an opponent to feel hope about success only to have that hope cruelly dashed.
Putin is playing the West like a bass fiddle.
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