Macron: Troops not ruled out in bolstering Ukraine
PARIS: France’s President Emmanuel Macron on Monday announced new steps to boost Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion, saying not even the sending of Western ground troops was ruled out to achieve Europe’s goal of defeating Moscow.
Speaking after hosting a meeting of two dozen European leaders to discuss Ukraine, Macron painted a grim picture of a Russia whose positions he said were “hardening” both at home and on the battlefield.
“We are convinced that the defeat of Russia is indispensable to security and stability in Europe,” he said, but added that Moscow was showing a “more aggressive attitude not just in Ukraine, but in general.”
While there was “no consensus” on the sending of Western ground troops to Ukraine, “nothing should be excluded. We will do whatever it takes to ensure that Russia cannot win this war,” Macron said.
He refused to say more about France’s position, citing the need for “strategic ambiguity,” but saying the issue was mentioned among the options.”
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was quoted as saying some European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization members were weighing the option.
“Many people who say ‘never, ever’ today were the same people who said ‘never tanks, never planes, never long-range missiles’ two years ago” when Russia invaded, said Macron. “Let us have the humility to note that we have often been six to twelve months late.”
‘More and quicker’
The French leader said the new coalition would be set up to supply Ukraine with “missiles and bombs of medium and long range to carry out deep strikes.”
There was a “broad consensus to do more and quicker,” he added, saying there was also a consensus to ramp up joint production of armaments with Ukraine and boost its own military industry.
Czech Premier Petr Fiala, meanwhile, said there was “great support” for an initiative to help Ukraine buy munitions outside the EU. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said his country would contribute and others would follow.
“Nothing can be excluded to achieve our objective. Russia cannot win that war,” said Macron.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda were among about 25 European heads of state and government at the conference.
Other states sent ministers to the Paris meeting, among them United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Cameron. The United States and Canada were also represented.
As he opened the conference at the Elysee Palace, Macron said Ukraine’s allies needed to jumpstart their support as the war entered its third year.
“We have seen hardening on the part of Russia, especially these past few months,” Macron said.
He said this had “cruelly” manifested not only in the death of President Vladimir Putin’s top opponent Alexei Navalny on February 16, but also in a hardening of Russia’s positions on the frontlines, where it was planning “new attacks.”
Make a ‘leap’
Macron said a “leap” was needed from the West in its approach that “takes into account the transformation of the threat from a military and strategic point of view.”
The conference signaled Macron’s eagerness to present himself as a European champion of Ukraine’s cause amid growing fears that American support could wane in the coming months.
“Together we must ensure that Putin cannot destroy our achievements and cannot expand his aggression to other nations,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a brief video message to the conference.
Western officials acknowledge that Russia risks gaining the upper hand in the conflict this year as Ukraine runs out of weapons and ammunition.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on Sunday that half of the Western military aid pledged to Kyiv was delivered late, noting that “commitment does not constitute delivery.”
Zelenskyy has complained that Ukraine only received 30 percent of a million shells the EU has promised.
“It is clear that we did not have this million,” Macron said, acknowledging an “imprudent commitment.”