On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron called on the chiefs of general staff of the armies of European countries and allies around the world to develop a plan for “reliable security guarantees” for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. This was reported by Palatul Elysee.
The initiative was discussed at a closed-door meeting in Paris, which brought together representatives of more than 30 allied countries. It came as Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the United States and began negotiations with Russia in Saudi Arabia.
France unites Europe as US policy changes
The French president is trying to forge a unified European approach amid a shift in US policy towards Russia. The event was held without the participation of the United States, a major NATO member.
Chiefs of Defence from 34 countries, including the EU, NATO, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, attended the meeting in Paris. After the discussions, French representatives announced that the countries had agreed:
- Ukraine’s security guarantees should remain within NATO
- Assistance to the Ukrainian army should be long-term and comprehensive
- Any initiatives to demilitarise Ukraine are unacceptable
“We have to look ahead and determine what Ukraine’s army should look like in the future,” said French Defence Minister Sebastien Le Coronneu.
Important meeting of defence ministers on Wednesday
The next step will be a new meeting to be held on Wednesday in Paris. It will bring together the defence ministers of France, the UK, Germany, Italy and Poland. They will be joined by representatives of the EU, NATO and Ukraine.
The key theme is “the need to rearm Europe” against the backdrop of a possible change in the global balance of power.
Will there be European troops in Ukraine?
On Saturday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will hold an online conference with the leaders of countries ready to support the ceasefire.
According to Macron, the possible deployment of European troops in Ukraine is possible only after the signing of a peace agreement to guarantee it.
