French President Emmanuel Macron has smashed a major taboo by floating the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine, raising the stakes in a showdown with a nuclear-armed Russia.
Hosting a conference of European leaders on Monday night, the French leader refused to rule out the dispatch of Western troops to Ukraine as Russia's invasion stretches into its third year and Kyiv's military campaign appears to be faltering.
"We will do whatever it takes to ensure that Russia cannot win this war," Macron added.
A European military source, who asked not to be named, said that European allies had been studying the plan for several weeks and the United States supported the idea.
While Macron did not provide any details, the French foreign ministry said the idea did not foresee French troops directly fighting against Russian forces in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters, Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said on Tuesday: "We are talking about training missions, training components. Training."
When pressed whether it would be limited to instructors only, the minister said that he could not reveal the details because "this is still being discussed between the countries."
Former senior NATO official Camille Grand said Macron's statements were a "major political signal."
"The message is threefold: to the Ukrainians, we are saying that we are prepared to take risks alongside them. To Russia, this war is very important to us," Grand told AFP.
"To the public, the stakes are so high that we can't rule out this possibility."
- 'Poker game' -
Monday's announcement appeared to represent a turnround for Macron, who has for many years sought to position himself as a top mediator between Russia and Ukraine.
Less than five years ago he hosted Putin at his Mediterranean residence and flew into Moscow in February 2022 in a last-minute bid to halt the dispatch of Russian troops across the border.
"This undoubtedly represents a verbal escalation," said French military historian Michel Goya.
"But in this arm-wrestling match with Russia, you can't stop at anything, this is a poker game."
Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, also said Macron's comments represented a toughening of his stance. "But so far we don't know what this means," Gabuev told AFP.
"Perhaps it's a form of strategic ambiguity to push (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to negotiate on Ukrainian terms," he said.
Gabuev pointed out that a small number of Western troops and volunteers were already on the ground in Ukraine, adding that he could not imagine French society backing the idea of sending a large French contingent to fight there.
A number of countries including Germany, Britain and Spain rushed to say they had no plans to send their soldiers to Ukraine.
The Kremlin on Tuesday grimly warned Europe against even entertaining such an idea, saying that the appearance of NATO troops in Ukraine would make a direct confrontation with Russia not only possible but inevitable.
In his early-morning address on Feb. 24, 2022 Putin bluntly warned the West against intervening in Russia's war against Ukraine, and Western countries have been keen to avoid an escalation.
But observers note that over time many red lines have been crossed over the Ukraine conflict, pointing to supplies of French and British long-range cruise missiles, considered unthinkable two years ago.
Kyiv says that Western military support is not big enough, and two years after resisting the full-scale invasion by its much larger neighbor, Ukraine's troops are outgunned and exhausted.
- 'Ramping up nuclear rhetoric' -
Some observers pointed out that Macron's announcement would only help reinforce the Kremlin's narrative that Russia is fighting for survival against NATO-backed Kyiv troops in Ukraine.
Fyodor Lukyanov, head of the Kremlin-linked Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, a think tank in Moscow, said Macron's remarks "will surprise few people in Russia."
Since the start of Moscow's invasion, Putin has made thinly veiled threats hinting at a willingness to deploy Russia's tactical nuclear weapons, which Russian military doctrine holds can be used to force an adversary to retreat.
Lukyanov said that the toughening of France's position would provoke the Kremlin to act tougher.
"This will give Russia an impetus to toughen its stance further, ramp up its nuclear rhetoric and increase reliance on nuclear deterrence as a means of response," he told AFP.
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Comments (5)
Macron is a delusional fool and still with a colonial hangover . France is. A third rate power and this nation of losers surrendered to Hitler in lesss than a day and than enslaved themselves to the Nazis with the Vichy govt . This imbecile and dummy should see french history . They were kicked.out if Africa so should be more humble
@Jhon, how would you describe a country which is, right now, expending the blood of hundreds of thousands of its military age males to the goal of seizing for itself an undeserved empire in Europe?
@Michael, I am in no way defending that. My comment is sorely in the nonsense and illusionary statement of the clown macron without alignment with other EU leaders . He is not elected to speak for all of us and such dangerous escalatory statements are counterproductive . I meant it when I said the fool is still with a colonial hangover as can be seen with his escapades that backfired in Africa . France is a third rate power with no military or economic muscle to drag us all in a war that will have horrible consequences
France and England need to make it very clear that Putin isn't the only one with weapons of mass destruction.
I say let China open a Bat Virus lab in in Russia.
@LM, forgot that Russia has 6500 nukes. All war mongering idiots like you will take us into a global Holocaust .easy sitting in the comfort of your home fat away and make such nonsensical comments . Obviously a pea brained uneducated peasant
@Jhon, Putin, Patrushev, Shoigu and Gerasimov know very well that if they launch a nuclear weapon anywhere at any time before anyone else does, the US will devote the next seven days to destroying the entirety of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Where would their regime be then? They may be bloodthirsty imperialists, but they are not suicidal maniacs. They will not launch a nuclear first strike. NATO need to fear this contingency at all.
@Michael, you seem to forget the russians have a bigger arsenal than USA . Do you think they will sit silently if USA launches strikes . It's a mutually destructive scenario with.lNo winners The days that USA is a sole power are long gone and will not return . And don't get me started on the USA imoerialistic designs and meddling in Latin America and Asia
President Macron is saying what most of the free world thinks. NATO should have been more decisive at the start of Putin's invasion. The war would probably be over now had it been. Putin must not be allowed to succeed.
What I believe is a fair outcome.
NATO forces may not have to enter Ukraine, just assemble on its border and prepare.
Give the Russians an ultimatum to withdraw from the territory, return any prisoners and also the children Putin kidnapped. This will be the only warning and opportunity for Russia to avoid confrontation with NATO.
If the Russians don't blink we go in and expel them by force. Putins government collapses. We make it clear to Russia we will not enter their country but at the end of combat Ukraine will become a NATO member.
Ukraine can then negotiate with the new Russian leader for Putin to stand trial if he is still alive. If they hand him over we will remove sanctions against Russia in return for it paying to rebuild Ukraine.
Jens Stoltenberg, what are you waiting for? make it happen.
@David Steel, yeah, everything is a "game changer" from himacs, to F16s, now it's troops. For 2 years we've been reading Russia army sucks, yet here we are boasting, until WWIII.
@JMiguel,
You must read between the lines. World leaders rattle their sabres the most before elections.
President Macron of France may call a snap election at any time to strengthen his majority. Taking a tough stance against Russia is good for him.
Rishi Sunak of Great Britain is facing an election by the end of this year, all indications say he will lose to the opposition. Taking decisive action against Russia will bolster his support at home and vastly improve his chances relative to the firmness of his action, which appeals to the right wing of British politics.
There are more examples but you should know a perfect storm of support is brewing in Europe for direct action against Russia.
Russia is not prepared for what may happen in the next few months. That's the whole point.
As far as I'm concerned Article 5 was triggered when NATO members passage in the Black Sea became threatened by putins regime. Or when russia took down a US Reaper drone, or shot a missile at a British fighter, or threatened to shoot a French aircraft again over international waters.
Article 5 was triggered when at the start of the current invasion, putins orcs drove huge economically / socially destabilizing refugee streams to NATO members borders. While NATO members humanely give refuge to those war displaced, NATO itself stupidly continues to consider all similar acts of putin's hybrid war against them benign. It is not benign. It is gutting our economies and social cohesion from within.
It was triggered again when russian missiles, aircraft, naval vessels, mine's entered NATO member territory.
It was triggered when his political meddling threatened our democracies by supporting putin friendly dictator wannabes like putinrump.
NATO MUST respond in terms the aggressor understands. In putin's case, he does not take their words seriously. He only understands a military defeat.
This is the moment NATO was funded for! Get to work already. I often write my nation's leadership and NATO reps to say as much.