France and UK to increase peacekeeping forces for Ukraine - Macron
Photo: French President Emmanuel Macron (Getty Images)
France and the UK intend to increase the number of the Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) to 50,000 troops for the future deployment in Ukraine as part of the Coalition of the Willing, stated French President Emmanuel Macron during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Le Figaro reports.
"We’re expanding these joint forces from a brigade to an army corps, which means they could include up to 50,000 troops capable of deploying in a major battle," Macron said.
French President Emmanuel Macron clarified that these forces, which could be increased fivefold from their current size, will have a core built around France and the United Kingdom and will be able to unite other European partners.
According to Macron, the CJEF partnership "will add credibility and strength to NATO’s European pillar at the operational level, while also reinforcing Europe’s strategic autonomy."
This military force will be called the Franco-British Joint Expeditionary Force. According to the Élysée Palace, it could serve as a "planning nucleus for stabilization forces that may be deployed in Ukraine as part of a ceasefire."
Sending peacekeeping forces to Ukraine
In early April, a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, a group of countries committed to supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, was held in Kyiv.
The coalition was announced by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in March 2025.
Following the meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that French and British troops would be among the first to arrive in Ukraine. According to him, these countries are the leading representatives of the European continent.
