Western countries, including the US, shouldn’t be entirely opposed to the idea of sending troops to Ukraine if conditions there worsen, said Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, according to Politico.
The statement followed French President Emmanuel Macron’s claims that he did not rule out sending French troops to Ukraine. It has caused a split between US and European leaders who oppose this potential move.
However, the French president clarified, “This does not mean that we are considering sending French troops to Ukraine in the near future, but that we are opening the debate and thinking about everything that can be done to support Ukraine, especially on Ukrainian territory.”
The current position of Finland “is clear: We are not right now sending any troops and not willing to discuss that,” Valtonen added.
Valtonen also emphasized that it is important to continue supporting Ukraine in its struggle against Russian troops.
As one of NATO’s newest members, Finland has been contributing significantly, spending more than 0.6 percent of its GDP on Ukraine. In addition, Valtonen said she believes that many European countries could increase their assistance efforts and provide more aid to Ukraine.
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- Canada open to sending non-combat troops to Ukraine as instructors; more countries support non-combat missions (updated)
- Military: Russian troops stationed in Modova’s Transnistria pose no threat
