French President Emmanuel Macron has ruled out sending French troops as combat forces to Ukraine while suggesting alternative forms of military support.
This comes as European countries began discussions about potential deployment of peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, especially if a ceasefire or peace agreement with Russia is reached.
These discussions have grown more urgent amid concerns that the US might pursue a deal with Russia without fully considering the interests of European nations and Ukraine.
On February 15, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy also urged the creation of the “Armed Forces of Europe” to lessen reliance on US security guarantees, stressing that Europe’s future should be shaped by Europeans.
“France is not preparing to send ground troops, as belligerents in a conflict, to the front in Ukraine,” Macron stated in an interview with the regional daily press (PQR), Le Figaro reports.
He suggested that France could “send experts or even troops in limited numbers, outside any conflict zone, to support the Ukrainians and demonstrate solidarity.”
Macron noted that France is currently discussing this possibility with the United Kingdom.
The president also floated the idea of establishing a peacekeeping operation “under United Nations mandate” that would be positioned “along the front line” as part of negotiation frameworks.
Earlier, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed readiness to deploy UK troops to Ukraine as part of a European peacekeeping force, contingent upon a ceasefire or peace agreement with Russia.
The proposed force could require up to 100,000 soldiers, with European nations like France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the UK potentially contributing.
The Washington Post recently reported that European nations may be prepared to deploy up to 30,000 troops to Ukraine, however not at the front lines but ready to respond if Russia escalates the war, according to the Washington Post’s sources.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has expressed skepticism about deploying European troops, reportedly describing it as the “most difficult and least effective” approach to ensuring peace.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has consistently opposed the idea of German troop deployment to Ukraine.
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