France to Send More Aid to Ukraine
On February 26th, 2024, Emmanuel Macron, the current president of France, stated he, and France, will lead in furthering aid towards Ukraine, just after the Russo-Ukrainian war entered its 2nd year since full-scale invasion.
The conflict is a long-stemmed battle between Ukraine and Russia, dating back to The Soviet Union, when in 1954 the Russian SFSR (Soviet Federal Socialist Republic) was decreed to hand Crimea, a historic peninsula on the Black Sea, to the Ukrainian SSR (Soviet Socialist Republic.) After Ukrainian independence in 1991, the peninsula remained Ukrainian. In 2014, Russia would occupy the peninsula. Eight years later, in 2022, a full-scale invasion would be launched to seize Ukrainian lands. The move also likely served to keep Ukraine out of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance, or NATO.
NATO serves as a mutual defense pact, with a proclamation to protect all other members under threat of a war or attack. This article, article 5, has only been activated once, by the US in response to 9/11. Macron’s usher for more support to Ukraine stands as a model for Europe and the rest of NATO. Macron stated, “Nothing is ruled out.” This includes sending military personal from France to Ukraine in his view. Other major contributors to the effort include Estonia, Denmark, and Norway, contributing 3.55%, 2.41%, and 1.72% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the Ukrainian effort respectfully. For reference, the US only contributes about 0.32% and France only about 0.07%.
By: TJ Tickell
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