Macron clarifies position on troops in Ukraine: 'I do not take offensive initiatives'
French President Emmanuel Macron (photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
French President Emmanuel Macron assured that against the backdrop of Russia's ongoing military aggression and his initiatives to potentially send Western troops to Ukraine, he is seeking to avoid escalation.
At the same time, he noted that support for Ukraine should continue, and he "has no naivety about the Kremlin regime."
"Our goal is that Russia should not win. But our goal is also to bring peace back to Europe. In order to reach the result of this goal, we cannot go down the path of escalation, because we do not need another war," Macron said.
However, the French president added, Paris is "ready to say that we have no limits and we will react depending on how Russia reacts."
"And at some point, Ukrainians must have a strong position when they negotiate a sustainable peace. But now I do not take offensive initiatives, because this is not the spirit of collective solidarity," Macron stated.
Macron's statements on sending troops to Ukraine
At the end of February, French President Emmanuel Macron did not rule out the possibility that NATO might send troops to help Ukraine. However, there was no consensus at the time.
Later, Macron clarified that French troops could be sent to Ukraine if Russian troops attacked Kyiv or Odesa again.
A number of NATO countries opposed this idea, including Germany, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Poland, Spain, and Italy. At the same time, some countries are ready to consider such a possibility, including Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.
On March 14, Macron again made a statement about French troops in Ukraine. He emphasized that this option is not ruled out.
