The EU is once again discussing the deployment of troops to Ukraine, according to Le Monde.
As the war in Ukraine enters a new phase of escalation, discussions about sending Western troops and private defense contractors to Ukrainian territory have reignited with renewed vigor. However, this time they are secretive. France once again urges against setting any "red lines" regarding support for Ukraine. The debates are heating up, especially considering that the newly elected U.S. president may reduce aid to Ukraine, making the issue of foreign troops in Ukraine more relevant than ever.
According to reliable sources reported by Le Monde, Europe is once again discussing sending its troops to Ukraine. These delicate debates are essentially classified, yet have truly resumed in light of the potential withdrawal of U.S. support for Kyiv after Donald Trump takes office on January 20, 2025.
The discussions about deploying foreign troops to Ukraine, initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron during a meeting of Kyiv's allies in Paris in February, faced strong opposition from several European countries, particularly Germany. Nonetheless, as Le Monde writes, "this scenario is not yet buried".
In recent weeks, the discussions have even been rekindled thanks to the visit of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to France during the November 11 ceremony.
"Discussions are ongoing between the United Kingdom and France regarding defense cooperation, particularly aimed at establishing a solid core among allies in Europe, focused on Ukraine and broader European security," a British military source confesses to Le Monde.
These comments align with those made by Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot during his visit to London on November 22. In an interview with the BBC on November 23, he urged Western allies "not to set red lines" regarding support for Ukraine. When asked about the possibility of sending French troops to the ground, he stated: "We do not rule out any options."
What Macron said about sending troops to Ukraine
In March 2024, during a meeting with representatives of parliamentary parties, French President Emmanuel Macron outlined the sole condition under which the French army would be sent to fight in Ukraine. This would occur if Russian terrorists break through the defenses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine towards Odesa or Kyiv. French parliamentarians expressed concern over such statements, with some claiming that there are no longer any restrictions on this matter.
Regarding the topic of NATO troop deployment in Ukraine, Polish President Andrzej Duda confirmed that it was a subject of lively discussions during the meeting in Paris. He noted that this issue sparked the most controversy, but at that time, there was no consensus on sending Western troops to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the then NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the military alliance does not plan to send NATO troops to Ukraine. Such a decision, he said, must be made unanimously by all member states of the North Atlantic Alliance.