Putin's allies warn Macron: French troops in Ukraine could echo Napoleon's fate

Macron's openness to the idea of European nations, potentially including France, sending troops to Ukraine was met with immediate pushback, including disavowals from other Western nations and a stark warning from the Kremlin about the inevitability of conflict between Russia and NATO.

Vyacheslav Volodin, a key Putin ally and the chairman of Russia's State Duma, explicitly compared Macron to Napoleon, criticizing the French President's actions as perilous for France and suggesting they could lead to a third world war. This historical parallel references Napoleon's failed invasion, which initially saw success but ultimately led to a devastating retreat and significant losses due to harsh conditions.

The situation has escalated tensions to a level not seen since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, with Putin highlighting the dangers of a direct NATO-Russia confrontation. Macron's proposal found some support in Eastern Europe, but within Russia, figures like former President Dmitry Medvedev have sharply rebuked the French President, accusing him of harboring dangerous illusions of grandeur. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that Macron's stance revealed a division among Western countries, with many quick to distance themselves from the prospect of direct military involvement in Ukraine.