THIS IS A TURNING POINT IN THE HISTORY OF EUROPE AND OUR COUNTRY"

USPA NEWS - French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation at 1:40 p.m. (Paris Time) Following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia at dawn this morning this Thursday, February 24, 2022. The Head of State has delivers a short and powerful solemn address of 4 minutes, just following a National Defense and Security Council at the Elysee Palace which took place this morning at the Elysee Palace. Above all, he brought France's support for Ukraine and After the Russian attack on Ukrainian territory, the President assured that "France stands alongside Ukraine" spoke in a serious tone about of the history of Europe which "The events of this night are a turning point in the History of Europe and our country. They will have lasting, profound consequences on our lives." President Macron, also announced that he will address "a message" to Parliament tomorrow and that he will address the nation again to keep abreast of developments. A NATO summit is being prepared in parallel for tomorrow, Friday February 25, while Ukrainian civilians have begun to flee the capital Kiev in a state of panic... for some, under the sound of bombs. We are publishing the full text of President Macron's Remarks.

REMARKS DELIVERD BY PRESIDENT MACRON ADDRESSING TO FRENCH NATION, AT ELYSEE------------------- "French, My dear compatriots, Last night Russia launched a massive military attack on Ukraine.This deliberate choice, which contravenes all the commitments made by the Russian authorities, is a violation of the Charter of the United Nations and of the founding principles of the European and international order.------------------------------------------------------------------ In this event, France stands alongside Ukraine. I want to salute the courage and determination of the Ukrainian President, the authorities and the people. Their freedom is ours. By breaking his word, by refusing the diplomatic route, by choosing war, President Putin has not only attacked Ukraine, he has decided to flout Ukraine's sovereignty. He has decided to carry out the most serious attack on peace, on stability in our Europe for decades. We had anticipated this crisis together by leading a demanding dialogue. And alongside the allies, the European partners, we have done everything to avoid it. She's there. And we are ready. "TO THIS ACT OF WAR WE WILL RSEPOND WITHOUT WEAKNESS WITH COOLNESS, DETERMINATION AND UNITY "To this act of war, we will respond without weakness with coolness, determination and unity. We will take decisions at the G7 this afternoon, the European Council to be held this evening in Brussels and the NATO summit to be held in the next few hours. We will hold Russia accountable to the United Nations Security Council and strive to build international unity. The sanctions imposed on Russia will be commensurate with the aggression of which it is guilty. On the military and economic level as much as in the field of energy, we will be without weakness. We will support Ukraine, without hesitation, and we will take all our responsibilities to protect the sovereignty and security of our European allies. THE EVENTS OF LAST NIGHT ARE A TURNING POINT IN THE HISTORY OF EUROPE AND OUR COUNTRY------ "My dear compatriots, The events of that night are a turning point in the history of Europe and our country. They will have lasting, profound consequences on our lives. They will have consequences on the geopolitics of our continent and together we will be able to respond to them. I want to tell you my determination to protect you, relentlessly. Protect our compatriots exposed in Ukraine, protect all French people and take the necessary decisions regarding the direct and indirect consequences of this crisis. In these troubled hours when the ghosts of the past are reborn and where there will be many manipulations, let's not give up any of our unity. Unity around our principles of freedom, sovereignty and democracy. These principles made us and continue to hold us together. A message from me will be delivered tomorrow in Parliament and I will come back to you in the coming hours to keep you informed of the evolution of the situation and the decisions that I will have to take. Long live the Republic".../ Source Elysee