Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed on Thursday that France has no immediate plans to deploy troops to Ukraine but signaled the possibility of offering security guarantees once a ceasefire is reached.
Speaking to French social media users ahead of his scheduled visit to the White House next week, Macron stated, “I have not decided to send troops to Ukraine tomorrow, no.” However, he emphasized that France is considering contributing forces to uphold peace once a negotiated agreement is in place.
Macron is set to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, where he intends to stress the importance of a firm stance against Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I'm going to tell him: 'You can't be weak with President Putin. That’s not your style, and it’s not in your best interest,'" Macron said.
The French leader’s remarks come as Trump signals a willingness to engage in direct negotiations with Putin to end Russia’s three-year war in Ukraine, a move that has unsettled European allies and Kyiv. Meanwhile, the White House has confirmed that Trump will also meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday.
French officials have recently warned of the growing threat posed by Moscow, with Macron himself declaring earlier this week that "Russia presents an existential danger to Europe." He further stressed the urgency of strengthening European defense capabilities in light of shifting US-Russia relations.
"I am convinced that we are entering a new era," Macron said. "This will require us to make critical choices. We Europeans must step up our defense efforts."
