Too early to discuss allied troops in Ukraine, says French Foreign Ministry
Photo: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot (Getty Images)
France is not yet ready to send its soldiers to Ukraine as part of an allied contingent. A peace treaty must first be in place to ensure that Russia will not attack Ukraine again, BFMTV reports, citing French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.
According to the French Foreign Minister, the topic of sending a peacekeeping contingent to Ukraine is quite sensitive. Following the Summit in Paris, dedicated to European defense issues, it is currently not relevant.
"This is not a question for today. It is too early to discuss this. This issue will arise when the time is right, once a peace agreement is in place that can be guaranteed," Barrot stated.
In his view, before the question of potentially deploying French troops can be considered, a "lasting peace" must first be established. Only this can prevent the frontline from approaching EU countries.
"We need a peace treaty that guarantees Russia will not attack Ukraine again. What form these guarantees will take? It's too early to say," the French Foreign Minister added.
France was one of the first European countries to propose the potential participation of its soldiers in a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine - an initiative introduced by President Emmanuel Macron.
However, not everyone in France shares his opinion. The leader of the National Rally party has expressed strong opposition to sending French troops to Ukraine.
"This was a proposal from President Emmanuel Macron. But if you ask the French people, they do not support the idea of sending our soldiers to the Ukrainian front against a nuclear state like Russia," he stated.
International positions on peacekeepers in Ukraine
Recently, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer voiced support for deploying British soldiers to Ukraine, emphasizing the UK’s commitment to security guarantees for Ukraine. Sweden also expressed readiness to provide peacekeepers if needed.
Meanwhile, Latvia’s Ministry of Defense shares a similar stance to the French Foreign Ministry. Latvian Defense Minister Andris Sprūds stated that the deployment of peacekeepers should only be considered after a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine is signed.
Spain has also stated that it is "still too early" to discuss deploying its troops in Ukraine. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares emphasized that, given the current conflict, "the goal of diplomacy should be to achieve peace."
