French President Emmanuel Macron met with parliamentary parties on Thursday. During the meeting Macron said he was open to the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine, as announced by, according to French newspaper L’Independant.
Fabien Roussel, a representative of the French Communist Party, said after the meeting that “Macron referenced a scenario that could lead to intervention [of French troops]: the advancement of the front towards Odesa or Kyiv.”
He noted that the French President showed parliamentarians maps of the possible directions of strikes by Russian troops in Ukraine.
Following the meeting, Jordan Bardella of the far-right National Rally party noted that “there are no restrictions and no red lines” in Macron’s approach.
Manuel Bompard of the La France Insoumise party expressed increased concern after the meeting. “I came to the meeting worried and left even more worried,” he said.
The possibility of Western ground troops in Ukraine was also discussed at a conference in Paris on Feb. 26, when Macron told the press: “Currently, there is no consensus on sending troops. But in this matter, nothing should be ruled out in the future.”
He added: “We will do everything possible to prevent Russia from winning this war.”
During discussions, the President of Poland Andrzej Duda noted that the “hottest discussion” revolved around the idea of troop deployment, although no definitive decisions were made. In response to questions about other countries considering troop deployment, Duda mentioned a lack of enthusiasm among participants.
TALKING SUBSTANCE: Crossfire: Russia and the Shadow of World War
Meanwhile, Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico ruled out the participation of Slovak soldiers in Ukraine, but assured that his government would respect the decisions of other EU and NATO countries.
Macron previously urged Ukraine’s allies not to hesitate in supporting the country against the Russian invasion, emphasizing the need to live up to history’s expectations of bravery.
“We are surely approaching a moment for Europe in which it will be necessary not to be cowards,” Macron said during a visit to the Czech Republic.
Despite Macron’s comments, most of his European allies indicated they would not send troops to Ukraine. French officials also clarified that any potential forces sent would likely support operations such as de-mining rather than direct combat with Russian forces.
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Comments (9)
I must say I am impressed with Macron's recent attitude. It's long overdue, and you can be sure there is even more fear running through the halls of the Kremlin now. Macron needs to back it up with something now. French fighter jets over the black sea, a big weapons delivery to Ukraine that allows them to make a symbolic attack. Something like that, which will let Russia know that he's serious.
Europeans solving their border problems the same way they always have... Hopefully this time not dragging the rest of the world into their petty problems.
@apatriot12, What a coincidence that the same thing the Europeans need to do (work in unison to take out putin's vile regime), is the same thing that will greatly alleviate the USA border crisis.
Destabilizing borders is a classic example of putins' hybrid war against all democracies. Putin lives in fear of the freedoms it affords an electorate and that it's model supports fair laws and demands leadership accountability.
What is included in a hybrid war?
1. Steal assets and disrupt critical infrastructure with cybercrime tools.
2. Sow dissent over the internet and other media, to make citizens and international allies distrust and dislike each other.
3. Support the ascent of an autocrat's cronies into key foreign leadership roles (political, legal, regulatory, educational, corporate media).
4. Foment coups, genocide and social strife abroad and then help funnel resulting refugee streams towards democratic borders to destabilize them and sow further economic and domestic chaos.
5. Eliminate voices of opposition both domestically and abroad via murder or fake accusations concocted to discredit.
Incredibly, all of the above for some reason are still not considered by our old school leadership as being sufficient to trigger NATO's article 5. As such all democratic nations hopes lie instead in supporting Ukraines' rightful military defence.
@John, this is maximalist logic. Claiming Putin wants to invade all of Western Europe is a pro-Ukrainian narrative to frame the war in a certain way, ie a war against the West, and not just a local border war within the former Russian/Soviet Empires. If you look at European history, they have resorted to violence as the first resort to solve problems with each other, over and over. It's time that the New World does not get involved in Old World failed ways of thinking.
@apatriot12, @apatriot12, Stock troll response still incorrect.
I never said "invade all Western Europe", I said "funnel resulting refugee streams towards democratic borders to destabilize them".
That remains accurate.
A 9/25/23 report entitled "How China and Russia Have Helped Foment Coups" by the US Council of Foreign Relations states: "In the past decade in Asia, there have been coups in Myanmar and Thailand. In recent decades, coups and attempted coups have occurred in Ecuador, Egypt, Fiji, Honduras, Moldova, Montenegro, Syria, Turkey, and many African states, most recently Niger and Gabon." Plus Mali, Sudan, Yemen Myanmar. Wagner was also retained to social strife in Nicaragua and Venezuela.
These serve two purpose's.
1. Distract or diminish allied attention from putin's own expansionist wars (Georgia, Moldova, Balkans, Ukraine ....plus devastating suppression of many more previously USSR occupied territory uprisings).
2. Drive more refugees to the Allied borders to cause further dissent / destabilization there. (Turkey, Italy, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Poland, Germany, Romania, USA...etc.
From 2015 -2021 putin EU bound refugees rose from <850K annually to ~7 million. The USA as Russia's largest single enemy suffers similar flows.
European countries: You can send troops to fight Russia in Ukraine, or you can wait and have to fight Russians in your own country. Your choice.
fabien roussel should be sent to fight for russia since it was the communist party of the russian federation that started this war by drafting and putting forth legislation to recognized the illegitimate self proclaimed republics in January 2022 and putlin then acted upon it in February 2022.
The allies under multiple administrations dropped the ball on better prepping for the inevitable rise of putin aggression on EU nations. It's pretty much impossible now for the allies not to become more active in directly thwarting the kremlin's stated expansion intent. Allies should all be on a War footing for this and a few other reasons.
Cudo's to Mr. Marcon though, for drawing some of France's own red lines for putin. It justifiably puts the shame on the lack of cohesive NATO alliance assurances (given Hungary, Slovakia and Turkey's MRGA leaning leadership) offering Ukraine anything firm in the way of border protection. Frankly Ukraine's border should have been the front line towards which NATO fighters were assigned to patrol pre-putin invasion.
The best way for France not to be drawn into the physical fight alone now, is for other allies to also step up to the plate with hopefully much better assurances. Like "Get the F___ out of Ukraine now putin or we physically join Ukraine's defence next month". I hope they find the courage to do this and restore all Ukraines legal territory.
If russian's think the world will look fondly on them for subsequently escalating to nuclear weapons solely to support their stealing another country, they will be thinking from their own country of ashes.
@John,@John, the truth is he won't send French troops, it doesn't really matter whether Kiyv or Odessa will be captured. Johnnny boy you need to calm down and look at this war more pragmatically. I wonder whether you were equally outraged when the US invaded Iraq? over 200,000 CIVILIAN casualties. That's a bit tough, don't you think? Were you so eager to condemn the US actions back then? I hope you did! Especially that no WMD was found and that was the whole 'reason' of invasion. What I am trying to tell you is that all wars are unfair, bloody, and everyone can justify it from their own perspective. I am not supporting Russia, no need to call me russian troll (because that's what happens nowadays when you trying to voice a different opinion than Western media). Good day Johnny boy!
@Norman, Thanks for your concern for my health.
Historically Macron does have a tendency to talk beyond his intentions. Given France's high tech military manufacturing capacity, it has been disappointing they lag many other allies in monetary valuation of military donations to Ukraine. Still even it Macron's words incite or shame the other allies into doing more to support Ukraine it's a good thing don't you agree?
Regarding IRAQ, neither my nation nor NATO ever did support the USA in that invasion given the false pretences (WMD albeit Saddam had made related threats previously). I always saw it as a Bush vanity project given Saddam was admittedly a vile man having also killed a similar number of his own citizens under his oppressive rule.
I was in the USA at the time of that war in a region where most Americans (democrats leaning state) also opposed it. Stupid leadership often do stupid things. Putin and putinrump being our modern day examples.
Good use of the troll technique though of insulting Ukraine supporters and then using 'whataboutism' to absolve putin of his crimes
@John, many thanks for getting back to me and I appreciate your comments. I am trully not a russian troll. However I always tend to question everything and like to check what BBC/CNN as well as Ukrainska Pravda/Kiyv Post or TASS/Komolovskaya Pravda are trying to feed us with. We can surely agree that both Western as well as Eastern Propaganda is trying to tell us what's right or wrong, who is good guy or evil man. Finally, I am certainly not trying to justify Putin's crimes. All I am trying to point out is that Western countries have been doing exactly the same thing. Should we call Blair/Bush murderer? I guess we should...
@Norman, Well then the forum will look forward to your future Ukraine supportive posts.
A word of caution, troll doctrine shifting into the US election, has been to push putinrump as the future saviour of all democracies. That's been debunked too many times to hold sway with Ukraine supporters. His own words incriminate him of his putin supportive intentions. His past has also been so horrendously unethical that it makes it a hard sell for trolls. They inevitably respond to the debunking with profanity or insults.
Putinrump promoting remains the gold standard in quickly identifying trolls. That, and the tendency to use new poster names to sow allied dissent each time they get debunked under their past fake names.
They also tend to insult Kyivpost and its authors sometimes professing they are never coming back to this site....only to return shortly thereafter. Its' pretty amateurish really, but in keeping with the quality of orc putin also sends to the physical front lines.
@Norman,
@notrussiantroll, just checked your writing style and I can definitely say that you're a russian troll
@John, Well stated! France is showing the necessary leadership! Though I'm hoping, just hoping this has been a good cop bad cop setup by NATO. Get one country (with Nukes) coming out to say this and other partner countries criticising the position. All a ploy to move this conflict down the necessary path for Russian defeat!
I thought back in 2014 Europe in particular as a whole should have been put onto a war footing, as it was obvious back then that Putin was not going to stop at Crimea. Add this to the hybrid war Russia was fighting in the Donbas region, it was proof enough that Putin was not going to stop there. Once again appeasement of a dictator has put the whole world at risk of catastrophe. and now more than ever Europe and especially the UK as the only other nuclear power in Europe should be standing shoulder to shoulder
with France.
Troops from all Western countries should have been sent en masse already in 2014 to destroy this genocide in the bud. At very latest 2 million troops should have been sent in to Ukraine in February 2022 to drive out the Russian genocidal people from Ukraine. It is mind-boggling the level of castrate cowardice hypocrisy and betrayal of the West towards Ukraine
I’ve often wondered what the effect would be, if all of the NATO countries (minus, of course, the usual laggards) were to initiate Special Military Operations of their own, against the aggressor state. Either within Ukraine, with the permission of Ukraine of course, or on Russian soil.
if it's an intervention plan, fine, otherwise it's still just empty chatter