Podcast / Europe & Central Asia 22 April 2022 1 minutes European Security and France’s Election in the Shadow of Russia’s War in Ukraine This week on Hold Your Fire! Richard Atwood talks to Crisis Group Trustee and distinguished French diplomat Gérard Araud about European security, transatlantic politics, the West’s relations with Moscow and France’s election, as Russia’s war in Ukraine enters a new phase. Share Facebook Twitter Email Linkedin Whatsapp Save Print This week on Hold Your Fire! Richard Atwood is joined by Gérard Araud, Crisis Group Trustee, distinguished French diplomat and former ambassador to both the UN and the U.S., to look at the Western response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As the war enters its second month and Russia launches a major offensive in Ukraine’s east and south, they discuss the dilemmas Western governments face in supporting Ukraine, while avoiding risks of direct conflict between NATO and Russia. They walk through different aspects of Western policy, from the provision of weapons to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia to diplomacy aimed at ending the war. They also reflect back on past decades of deteriorating relations between the West and Russia. They map out the war’s implications for Europe’s security architecture and transatlantic relations, and what it means for French President Emmanuel Macron’s vision of European strategic autonomy. They also discuss the French election and what a Le Pen presidency would bring for France and its place in Europe and the world. Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more on the Ukraine War, check out Crisis Group’s extensive analysis on our Ukraine country page. Related Tags Ukraine France Contributors Richard Atwood Executive Vice President atwoodr Gérard Araud Former Ambassador of France to the U.S. More for you Podcast / Europe & Central Asia War & Peace (Season 3) Podcast / Horn of Africa The Horn (Season 3)