Emmanuel Macron has condemned what he calls Russia’s “intent” to “intimidate” and to “undermine efforts to support the Ukrainians”. In his view, “the outcome will be the opposite”.The French president was speaking after a confidential meeting at the Élysée with the main presidential candidates or their closest associates.Macron warned the “nature of Russian aggression and threats in Europe is changing”.One example cited by Macron was the discovery of a drone loaded with explosives at Leipzig airport this summer. “We are not intimidated because we know that what is at stake in Ukraine is our security today and tomorrow”, he said.Macron revealed that he has requested “a plan to protect our critical infrastructure” in the face of “Russian hybrid attacks”.The French president also stressed the “need to keep sending messages to Russia” and to avoid “entering into a state of belligerence” with that country.Surge in fuel pricesThe sharp rise in fuel prices was an other issue raised by Emmanuel Macron during the meeting at the Élysée.According to the president’s inner circle, public opinion tends to forget that the international situation is the root cause of the crisis. Emmanuel Macron aimed to remind the candidates for the 2027 presidential election of this.The rise in prices is “not the result of government decisions”, he said.The blockages in the Strait of Hormuz, in the Gulf, and more recently in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, in the Red Sea, “have direct consequences for our daily lives”, Emmanuel Macron wrote on the social media platform, X.The French president is calling for the causes of rising petrol prices to be addressed “before spending large sums of money” which he warned would mean “either a bigger deficit or higher taxes”.Macron announced his intention to convene a G7 meeting devoted to energy issues. The meeting, he says, should be held in the coming weeks and will aim in particular to “move towards better coordination on stock levels”.