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The president of France, Emmanuel Macron, has informed European leaders that sending troops from western countries to Ukraine is a possibility that cannot be dismissed.
At a meeting in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron addressed 20 European leaders and showed their unified support for Ukraine against the ongoing Russian invasion, which has been ongoing for three years.
At this time, there is no agreement to deploy soldiers on the field. All options are being considered. We will take all necessary actions to ensure that Russia does not emerge victorious, stated Mr Macron during a press briefing on Monday.
A gathering of a minimum of 20 leaders from various European countries, such as the UK, Poland, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Portugal, and Belgium, took place at the Elysee presidential palace to deliberate on strategies to increase the provision of ammunition to Ukraine.
“Let us have the humility to note that we have often been six to 12 months late. This was the objective of this evening’s discussion: everything is possible if it is useful to achieve our objective,” Mr Macron said, adding that Europe should not depend on the United States to fight in Ukraine
He stated, “Several individuals who currently declare ‘Never, never’ were previously the same individuals who declared ‘never tanks, never planes, never long-range missiles’ two years ago.”
The Elysee palace released a statement stating that the conference provided a chance to discuss the current conditions on the battlefield, the significant turmoil caused by Russia and their increased hostility towards Ukraine and Europe.
During a discussion on X (formerly known as Twitter), Mr Macron expressed our joint commitment to supporting Ukraine and ensuring our collective security. He emphasized the importance of united action from all of us, stating that a collective effort is necessary. In another post, he stated that he shares the same belief as our partners that Ukraine cannot be allowed to lose against Russia.
The meeting at a high level, only a few days after the war’s second anniversary, was intended to counter the Kremlin’s claim that Ukraine’s allies are losing their backing and Russia is on the brink of victory. This comes as Russia escalates its military aggression with assistance from Iran and North Korea.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, also joined the meeting remotely and supported the French president’s cautionary message about the potential escalation of the conflict. He emphasized the need to protect and maintain our progress and prevent Putin from spreading his aggression to other countries.
Despite Ukraine’s success in slowing down the Russian army and confining their attack to the eastern region of the country, intense fighting has persisted.
The nation has experienced drawbacks in the eastern warzone, particularly with the recent surrender of Avdiivka in Donetsk. Military leaders have expressed concerns over insufficient weaponry and manpower.
Mark Rutte, the prime minister of the Netherlands and a potential candidate for the next head of Nato, informed journalists that the discussion of deploying troops was not the main focus of Monday’s discussions.
According to a White House representative, the United States currently has no intent to deploy soldiers to support Ukraine in their conflict with Russia. Additionally, there are no intentions to send NATO troops to directly engage in the situation in Ukraine.
Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, has been against providing military assistance to Ukraine. However, he mentioned that some NATO and EU countries are thinking of sending troops to Ukraine on an individual basis.
“According to him, there are countries who are willing to send their own military forces to Ukraine, others who refuse, like Slovakia, and others who believe the plan should be carefully reviewed,” he stated before departing on his return flight home.
According to an anonymous advisor to the president, the French leader is seeking solutions following unsuccessful security discussions in Munich earlier this month.
Our stance is not defeatist or pessimistic. We hope to convey this message to Russia that resolution of this conflict will require joint effort from all parties involved. This was stated by the advisor.
The article is from the Independent newspaper.
The source of this article is the Independent.