Macron says France has no plans to send troops to Ukraine

France has no plans to send its troops to Ukraine as long as the armed hostilities continue in the country, President Emmanuel Macron has said in an interview with La Dépêche du Midi on 18 February. This was stated by President Emmanuel Macron in an interview with La Dépêche du Midi on February 18.

"I have never announced sending ground troops to the French side. Today France is not preparing to send ground troops. We are thinking about security guarantees," he commented.

According to Macron, European Union (EU) countries are pondering how they can "protect" Ukraine in the long term. Now they are considering such options as rearming Ukraine, sending experts or military to deploy them in non-conflict zones, as well as organizing a peacekeeping mission in accordance with the UN mandate at the end of the conflict.

At the same time, the French president noted that he is ready "at any moment in the upcoming cycle of negotiations" to talk to Russian leader Vladimir Putin by phone if the latter calls him.

"Of course, I will talk to him again if it will be useful in this situation," Macron said.

Undivided weight: what the EU is willing to do to maintain influence in the Ukrainian issue

And why Russia does not want to see the Europeans at the negotiating table to resolve the conflict

On Monday, February 17, a summit of European leaders was held in Paris. It was attended by the leaders of six European Union (EU) countries, Britain, as well as NATO and EU officials. The Financial Times newspaper reported on February 18 that at the meeting, the leaders of the EU member states faced disagreements over sending troops to Ukraine. It is specified that Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain expressed their refusal on this issue.