When Vladimir Putin congratulated Emmanuel Macron on his re-election as France's president and wished him “success in your activities,” the Russian leader probably was being more polite than sincere.
As he embarks on a second term, with the intention of keeping France at the forefront of international efforts to force Putin to change course in Ukraine, Macron has given a green light for the delivery of modern artillery pieces to Kyiv that could help stem Russia’s new offensive in the east of the country.
