French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday, February 18, that he will convene another meeting regarding Ukraine following discussions between the new US administration and Russia. He remarked that Donald Trump “can initiate a constructive dialogue” with Vladimir Putin.
In an interview with regional French newspapers, Macron reiterated his openness to the possibility of deploying troops to Ukraine, although he stressed that any such action would need to be highly restricted and conducted away from active conflict areas. His extensive remarks followed President Trump’s surprising shift in US policy nearly three years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as he sought to reestablish diplomatic relations with the Kremlin in an effort to negotiate an end to the ongoing conflict.
Trump is “reestablishing strategic ambiguity for President Putin” by employing “very strong language” and generating “uncertainty” that “can help apply pressure,” according to Macron. The French president, who previously engaged in regular discussions with Putin but has not communicated with him since 2022, expressed his willingness to speak with his Russian counterpart “when it is appropriate in the context of upcoming negotiations.”
Macron emphasized that Paris is not “preparing to deploy ground troops, which would be seen as belligerent in the conflict, to the front lines” in Ukraine. However, France is contemplating, in collaboration with its ally Britain, the possibility of sending “experts or even troops in a limited capacity, outside any conflict zone.”
Such an action would “strengthen the Ukrainians and demonstrate solidarity. This is what we are considering with the British,” he stated.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, enhancing his European reputation post-Brexit, has indicated that London is ready to deploy troops if necessary. However, Macron highlighted the importance of U.S. backing for future security assurances to Kyiv. “Considering that Russia possesses nuclear capabilities, this is a crucial aspect for European allies,” he stated.
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Macron also proposed the concept of establishing a peacekeeping mission under a United Nations mandate, which would operate along the front lines as part of the negotiation framework.
The new discussions are scheduled for Wednesday and will involve multiple European and non-European nations, as stated by him. This follows an emergency meeting held on Monday in Paris, which included a limited number of key European nations. The earlier meeting sought to demonstrate solidarity but was marred by disagreements regarding the potential deployment of troops to Ukraine, with Germany and Italy firmly opposing this proposal.
Additionally, several smaller European nations, such as Romania and the Czech Republic, expressed their dismay at not being included in the discussions, despite their strong support for Ukraine.
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