Macron Declares Russia’s Ukraine War a ‘Triple Failure’ on Four-Year Anniversary
By [Your Name], International Editor
PARIS – Four years after launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war has become a “triple failure for Russia,” according to French President Emmanuel Macron. Marking the anniversary of the conflict on Tuesday, Macron stated the war represents a military, economic, and strategic defeat for Moscow.
The assessment comes as the war enters its fifth year, having already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and becoming the deadliest conflict on European soil since World War II. Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
“This war is a triple failure for Russia: militarily, economically and strategically,” Macron said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. He further warned that Russians would one day recognize “the enormity of the crime committed in their name,” and the long-term consequences for their own nation.
Despite the ongoing devastation – described by Macron as “four years of lives shattered, of violence, rape, torture, war crimes and terror” – Ukraine has demonstrated remarkable resilience, he acknowledged. “Four years in which Ukraine has held on and resisted.”
However, Macron cautioned that a swift resolution to the conflict remains unlikely. Speaking to allies within the Coalition of the Willing, a group of countries supporting Kyiv, he expressed skepticism about “short-term peace,” noting a lack of willingness from Russia to negotiate in good faith.
Macron revealed that more than 1.2 million Russian soldiers have been wounded or killed, representing the highest number of Russian combat casualties since World War II. He also argued the war has inadvertently strengthened NATO, unified European nations, and exposed the vulnerabilities of Russian imperialism.
“Four years ago, Europe awoke to the sound of Russian bombs falling on Ukraine,” Macron wrote on X.
[Embedded Tweet: Four years ago, Europe awoke to the sound of Russian bombs falling on Ukraine.
Four years of a war of aggression chosen by Russia, in blatant defiance of international law, of a people’s sovereignty, and of human life.
Four years of cities struck,…— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) February 24, 2026]
Macron pledged continued support for Ukraine, including further sanctions against Russia, stating, “So that Ukraine can hold out and so that Russia understands that time is not on its side.” He dismissed any notion that Western support would wane, asserting, “To those who think they can count on our fatigue: they are mistaken.”
A new meeting of Ukraine’s allies was co-chaired by Macron on Tuesday, aimed at bolstering ongoing assistance. Despite previous attempts to initiate peace talks, facilitated by the United States, a ceasefire remains elusive.
Published February 24, 2026, 6:57 pm IST.