Macron made the initial comments about “not ruling out” Western troop deployment to Ukraine following a conference in Paris dedicated to providing Ukraine with aid.
Showing Europe’s increasing confidence in combatting Russian aggression, Macron for the first time raised the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine.
Read also: No ‘enthusiasm’ among European leaders to send troops to Ukraine, Polish president says
"Today there is no consensus on the troops deployment, but nothing can be ruled out,” he said.
“We will do everything possible so that Russia cannot win this war.”
Macron warned that the EU must prepare for an attack by Russia in the coming years.
It is key for Europe's security and stability to defeat Russia in Ukraine, he added.
The French Prime Minister backed up those comments in an interview with RTL.
Read also: The Netherlands to pay 100 million euros to purchase shells for Ukraine’s military
"We cannot accept an authoritarian country taking over a democratic country," Attal said.
“I do not want my and the next generation to grow up in a world of threats.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ruled out Western troop deployment for the time being.
“We are not negotiating with our partners about deploying their armies on Ukrainian territory,” he said at a major press conference on Feb. 25 to mark the two-year anniversary of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
“If Ukraine were in NATO, that would provide us with the strongest security guarantees, and accordingly, I think we would invoke Article 5 if it came to that. Based on experience, Russia does not attack any NATO member countries.”
NATO also clarified that that it has “no plans” to send troops to Ukraine, though it didn’t directly address France’s possibility of future deployment.
“NATO has no plans to deploy its troops on the territory of Ukraine,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told AR on Feb. 27 in response to France’s comments.
Read also: NATO countries consider sending troops to Ukraine, Slovakia opts out – Slovak PM Fico
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Section: Nation
Author: Alla Shcherbak
