A French and British solider pictured together during a military exercise in eastern France in 2015 Photo: Sebastien Bozon/AFP
French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are discussing the possibility of sending British and French troops to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping mission if an agreement to end the war is reached. According to The Telegraph, Macron actively supports this initiative and has already raised the issue in conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Although officials from Downing Street and the Elysee Palace have not yet confirmed the details of the talks, UK government sources say that Keir Starmer has not yet fully agreed to the implementation of such a scenario. The main concerns relate to the security of the military and the possible risks of escalation. “There are challenges in terms of what we can support and the risks that might entail,” a government source told The Telegraph.
Deployment of Western troops in Ukraine: a plan with challenges
The proposal envisages that Western troops would guarantee the observance of the ceasefire, but it is not yet clear how such an agreement would be implemented and what specific actions are envisaged on the ground. One option proposed by the US is for Western soldiers to monitor the 1,200-kilometre demilitarised zone between the new borders of Ukraine and Russia.
President Macron has repeatedly emphasised that European allies can play an active role in securing peace in Ukraine. Some of his talks with other leaders have already become public. In addition, President Zelenskyy confirmed that during his recent conversations with Macron, practical steps to implement this initiative and the possibility of involving other states in this process were discussed.
“We agreed to work closely with key allies to achieve peace and develop effective security guarantees. One such guarantee is the French initiative to deploy military contingents to Ukraine. We discussed the practical steps to implement it and the possibility of expanding this initiative,” Zelenskyy said after his meeting with Macron.
