On global stage, as in Qatar, France is still second best

Emmanuel Macron is president of France. He is the pre-eminent politician of Europe. His political career has been marked by his tussles with Russia, with the United States and with Germany. In the latest spat, he suggested Russia should be offered security guarantees as part of any future negotiations to end the war. This drew a formal response from several EU countries, including the three Baltic states and Ukraine. The Baltic States, Ukraine and other countries that feel vulnerable to Russian encroachment see Russia as a straightforward threat. Macron's vision is different. It recognizes that Russia won't stop being a neighbor to Europe after the invasion.