A more hawkish tone from the West is exactly what Ukraine, as well as Russia, needs to hear

The French don’t exactly have a reputation for being tough. But recently, French President Emmanuel Macron seems to have found his backbone, as he looks for ways to halt Russian advances in Ukraine. His tough rhetoric and willingness to send Kyiv offensive weapons should be emulated by his NATO allies. If Russian President Vladimir Putin wins even a partial victory in Ukraine, it will only embolden his expansionist aims, as well as those of other authoritarians.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Don't have an account? Create Account

Macron spent the start of the war fruitlessly trying to engage Putin in diplomacy, but appeared to change tack last summer, when he joined the United Kingdom in sending cruise missiles to Ukraine, something the United States and Germany were wary of doing.

Ukraine is now in desperate straits as it faces a renewed Russian onslaught with a severe shortage of ammunition, largely due to a lack of support from the West. Late last month, as the U.S. Congress continued to dither on a new foreign aid bill, Macron caused a stir when he refused to rule out the possibility of sending NATO troops to assist Ukraine, and chided his allies for sending Kyiv “sleeping bags and helmets,” rather than fighter jets and tanks.

He then appeared to double down late last week, when he reportedly told a group of senior French politicians that the country shouldn’t have any “red lines” when it comes to Russia. “Faced with an........

© National Post