"The Front Line is Getting Closer to Us" because of "imperialist ambitions" of Russia and in particular the war it has started against Ukraine, said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, quoted by Agence France-Presse, writes BTA.
"Never before has the risk of war on the European continent, in the European Union, been so high, because for nearly 15 years the threat has been closer to us, the front line has been closer to us", Barrot said on "France Inter" radio, a few hours before a debate in Parliament on the war in Ukraine and security in Europe.
"In order to end Russia's aggressive war in Ukraine, we want the United States to exert pressure to bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table and to agree to put an end once and for all to his imperialist ambitions, which are bringing the front line closer and closer to us", the French Foreign Minister continued.
Barrot welcomed the outcome of yesterday's summit of about 15 European countries in London, stating that "what we have witnessed is the awakening of a whole section of Europeans who refused to see the real situation".
According to him, these European countries are now convinced of the need "for Europe to be able to guarantee its own defense and security and for us to deploy the necessary means so that we never again have to ask the United States what it can do for European security".
The French minister stressed that the proposal put forward by France and Britain for a one-month ceasefire in Ukraine "in the air, at sea and in energy infrastructures (...) is a way to check whether Russia really wants to end this war", specifying that "this means initially not withdrawing Russian troops on the ground".
"Then the real peace negotiations will begin, because we want peace, but we want a firm peace and a lasting peace," he added.
In the short term, Barrot believes it is possible to resume dialogue between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after their sharp confrontation at the White House on Friday.
"I believe that there is a desire on both sides, a shared awareness that it is in the interest of Ukraine, in the interest of Europeans and in the interest of Americans to put an end to Russian imperialist impulses," he noted.
Finally, Barrot added that he finds it "a little difficult to understand" the pause in all US cyber operations against Russia, ordered by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegsett, according to several US media.
"When it comes to cyberattacks, European Union countries are constantly subject to attacks from Russia in this form," the French minister reminded.