French President Emmanuel Macron's thoughts on a possible future security architecture in Europe have been met with rejection by politicians from Germany's governing coalition of Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Free Demorcats (FDP).
SPD foreign policy expert Nils Schmid told the Sunday edition of Die Welt newspaper: "Macron's words are surprising. NATO has never threatened Russia, but has created a common framework for security issues with the NATO-Russia Founding Act."
Now, he said, it was a matter of ensuring European security before and against Russia. "As long as Russia pursues an imperialist foreign policy, a pan-European peace order including Russia is not possible."
Macron had told French broadcaster TF1 in an interview on Saturday, among other things, that he had discussed the future security order in Europe with President Joe Biden during his recent visit to the US.
"That means one of the essential points - because President [Vladimir] Putin has always said it - is the fear of NATO coming to his door, is the deployment of weapons that can threaten Russia. This issue will be part of the issues for peace. And that is why we have to prepare it," Macron said.
Free Democrat (FDP) foreign policy expert Ulrich Lechte praised Macron's diplomatic efforts, saying, "A good initiative, but the readiness of Russia and Ukraine is the basic condition for such negotiations. The aggression has always come from Moscow."
His Green colleague Jürgen Trittin told Die Welt: "Security guarantees are important - but not unilaterally. Those who demand them must first spell out the promised security guarantees for Ukraine."
Johann Wadephul of the opposition Christian Democrats (CDU) called the proposals "highly problematic."
Discussions in the EU and NATO would have to be held urgently. Macron is "turning things upside down" because Ukraine first needs security guarantees. "Above all, he is regrettably abetting Russian propaganda when he presents NATO as a cause for security concerns."
Far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) parliamentary group leader Tino Chrupalla welcomed Macron's remarks in Die Welt: "It is an indictment of the ... coalition that this long overdue initiative comes from Paris and not from Berlin."
Macron rightly pointed out that Russia's legitimate security interests had to be taken into account.
Jan Korte, parliamentary director of the hard-left Die Linke (The Left) party, called for an examination of the proposals.
