Macron’s ‘cowards’ remark ignites Franco-German spat

PRAGUE — Tensions between Berlin and Paris spilled into the open Tuesday as German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius hit back at President Emmanuel Macron for urging Europe not to be "cowards" in the defense of Ukraine.

Macron delivered his acerbic remarks in Prague, where he also stood square behind his hawkish counsel from last week that the West should not rule out sending forces to support Kyiv against Russia's invading troops.

Speaking at a meeting with the French community, Macron said: "Europe clearly faces a moment when it will be necessary not to be cowards." He added that people "never want to see the tragedies that are coming."

Pistorius retorted that Macron's language was counterproductive.

"We don't need really, from my perspective at least, talk about boots on the ground or having more courage or less courage," Pistorius told reporters during a press conference with his Swedish counterpart Pål Jonson.

"This is something which does not really help solve the issues we have when it comes to helping Ukraine," he added.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of his visit to Prague, Macron said later that Germany had not been the target of his comments, but that it was "necessary" to shake up France's allies.

“If we are passive … we run the risk of suffering, suffering setbacks on the field, suffering possible disappointments in the U.S.,” he said.

Franco-German tensions over the war in Ukraine are rising. France has long felt frustrated that Germany regards relations with Washington as the keystone of European security, while Germany bristles at Macron's late conversion to self-styled war leader, especially when Berlin has given far more weapons to Ukraine than Paris has.

Macron sparked controversy last week when he announced, at the end of a conference of international leaders, that Western ground troops in Ukraine could not be "ruled out."

Despite pushback from NATO allies, Macron on Tuesday doubled down on those earlier comments that left him looking isolated after most — but not all — European leaders condemned his message.

During a press conference alongside Czech President Petr Pavel, Macron said he was "completely at ease" with his recent call for "a strategic wake-up" that had roused his allies.

France and the Czech Republic are "well aware that war is back on our soil [in Europe], that some powers have become unstoppable and are threatening us more everyday, attacking us even more, and that we ... need the courage that it requires."

Pavel backed Macron with supportive words, but drew "a red line" on the deployment of combat troops to Ukraine, suggesting any potential presence would have to take a different form.

"I am in favor of looking for new options, including a debate on a possible presence in Ukraine," he said.

Despite Macron's tough talk, however, he made no financial pledges on supporting a Czech initiative to purchase non-EU shells for Ukraine, which had been widely seen as the purpose of his visit.

The Czech government is leading a campaign to finance the purchase of 800,000 shells for Kyiv from non-EU suppliers to help plug the war-stricken country's ammunition gap. European officials estimate Russia is firing up to 10 times more ammunition than Ukraine on the front lines.

Macron said last week that he supported the Czech initiative, though it quickly became clear Paris doesn't want to sacrifice its "Buy European" push in the quest for shells.

French officials say they support ad hoc bilateral purchases, preferably of old Soviet stocks, but not using EU money that could be better employed to boost Europe's defense industries. That stance has drawn widespread criticism in Central and Eastern Europe that France is more interested in protecting its domestic industries than in helping Ukraine win.

Hans von der Burchard contributed reporting