Thread by @RymMomtaz

The Elysee gave unprecedented access to a journo (who doesnt cover FP/diplomacy). He filmed Macron's calls w/Putin, Scholz, Draghi, BoJo, Grossi, followed Macron's diplo advisers, getting exceedingly rare on-the-record on camera quotes.

A thread on #UnPresidentLEuropeEtLaGuerre

It's a welcome, if very late, change in the Elysee's comms posture. There's no spox or press secretary. Advisers are always anonymously quoted in the press, because they refuse to talk on the record and say they have to be invisible. Glad to see them center stage here.

Also glad the Elysee is now not only willing to divulge what Macron's counterparts said (they always said this was diplo privilege), but is filming it w/o the counterpart's knowledge. RUS media having field day w/this. Wldnt be surprised if RUS leaked video/audio of ongoing negos

The general public who dont follow foreign policy or diplomacy will undoubtedly find the film fascinating because of its access.

But it barely asks any of the hard Qs. More than a documentary it is a piece of political communication. And it's not very good at that either.

The Elysee had final cut privilege (reviewed/OKd/edited in 2 viewings before it was finalised) and it's clear they wanted to show that
-Macron isnt naive abt Putin
-he wasnt soft in his calls
-he's at the heart of global diplomacy re:war in Ukraine. #UnPresidentLEuropeEtLaGuerre

Indeed Macron isn't a pushover in his convos w/Putin, he pushes back when Putin says Ukraine is overrun by Nazis, that Zelensky is illegitimate or that separatists have legitimacy.
Anyone who has followed Macron in any serious way knows he is tenacious and a fast-thinker.

Macron's diplomatic advisor Emmanuel Bonne also shows he sees his Russian interlocutors for what they are (liars), and displays some of the tactical thinking those who knew him in previous positions know he has.
[there is a but, see below]

But (the issue is always in the but), it is unclear whether the Elysee realizes that some key scenes in #UnPresidentLEuropeEtLaGuerre confirm some of the worst fears of E.Euro+Baltic viewers (I've gotten feedback) + other informed viewers.

#PolCommsFail

Baffling scene(BS)1: When Macron was in Kyiv on Feb 8, we see his UKR adviser+Bonne working to clinch a deal for FR train maker Alstom [it's a lot of jobs in Belfort, Bonne says. 🤯]. 150k RUS soldiers were massed at UKR's border and the FR were pressuring UKR to buy locomotives.

[I get that this film is meant for a French audience first, and Elysee thinks it's beneficial to show FR ppl Macron working to create jobs. And obviously US, UK, Germany and others also seek contracts, but diff is in making it so public, in context of brewing invasion]

BS2: Putin clearly punting re:Macron's suggestion of a summit w/Biden, kicking it down to advisers – and telling Macron he was chatting w/him b/w a gym and a hockey sesh shows how unserious he was abt these talks. Yet Macron and advisers seem pleased with the call.

BS3: Bonne confronted w/Putin's lie: he instructed his adviser not to discuss said summit. But Bradelle said they can still announce Putin agreed "in principle" (they did)
They attempted+failed similar trick post-Macron/Putin Moscow mtg. Elysee no match for Kremlin at spin/comms

Macron blunt when BoJo pushes for stronger response to recognition of separatist regions, says Euros/NATO allies not ready to send troops to Ukraine. He also confirms to Zelensky FR weapons arriving in Kyiv day b4 invasion
[FR own goal: refusing to communicate early on weapons]

Baffling Scene 4: Striking how speechless and shocked Macron and Bonne seem in the hours after the beginning of the invasion. Give the impression they were surprised and had not rlly prepared for this option.

Interesting scene b/w Bonne and Jens Plotner [Scholz FP adviser, impressive FR] over oil/gas. Bonne rightly/bluntly says: "If Putin continues, we're going to have to accept to pay more"

Too bad FR govt has done v little to explain that higher energy prices are part of war effort

BS5: Bonne+Plotner joking ard, patting themselves on the back for EU agreement on RUS oil embargo while standing in the ruins of Irpin. In June. An embargo that kicks in at the end of 2022, after EU27 will have paid Putin 100s of millions PER DAY for 12months financing his war.

BS6: Macron in train from Kyiv mid-June justifying "shldnt humiliate RUS" line by saying he's thinking abt future + there was an "anglosaxon tune saying we must wipe out Russia" +admitting he thought reasoning w/Putin wld work, didnt, but he'll continue w/failed attempt to reason

Some of the main lies Putin told Macron since January:
-he wont invade Ukraine
-he wont move nuke-capable missiles to Belarus
-he wont recognize separatist regions

#UnPresidentLEuropeEtLaGuerre shows deep unbridgeable pol/ideological gap on approach to Russia + Elysee woefully lacks robust strat comms. That they agreed to keep the 6 above scenes signals their blind spots, dont get(care?) how imp partners/counterparts view their actions.

[Deleted previous tweet to correct typo: Piotr's pen is mightier than some swords but his twitter threads are not threats😄, and adding link]

I also recommend reading this thread by
@piosmo

It's in French.

https://twitter.com/piosmo/status/1542887063288250368?s=20&t=BhTYHKHUw4iq5y7h4eUDwg