The United States and key European allies said on Tuesday they had no plans to send troops to Ukraine, after France hinted at the possibility, and the Kremlin warned that such moves would inevitably lead to conflict between Russia and NATO.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that sending troops to Ukraine by NATO members and other allies could not be ruled out because Western powers must do everything to ensure Russia does not win.
His comments came during a hastily arranged meeting in Paris of European leaders to find ways to step up support for Ukraine, as Russian forces in eastern Ukraine continue to make gains on the battlefield and Ukraine continues to face shortages of manpower and ammunition.
However, Germany, Spain, Poland and the Czech Republic have insisted they are not sending troops to Ukraine in the war now entering its third year.
Nato soldiers during an exercise.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Tuesday: “No soldiers from European countries or NATO member states will be sent to Ukraine.”
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius also firmly asserted the same.
During a visit to Vienna, he asserted: “Germany will not consider the option of mobilizing troops.”
The White House later reiterated that it had no plans to send in troops, and would instead urge US lawmakers to pass a stalled security aid bill aimed at ensuring Ukrainian soldiers have the weapons and ammunition they need to continue fighting.
In order to clarify President Macron's statement, on February 27, French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne explained that when expressing his opinion on sending troops to Ukraine, Mr. Macron wanted to mention soldiers performing special tasks such as mine clearance, weapons production or cyber security.
“(This plan) could require a (military) presence on Ukrainian territory, without direct combat participation,” Sejourne told French lawmakers.
Germany has become the second-largest military aid provider to Kyiv since Russia launched its special operation in February 2022, but it has also been extremely cautious about decisions that could drag the NATO alliance into a direct conflict with Russia.
Warning from Russia
The Kremlin was quick to warn about the risks involved.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, commenting on Mr. Macron's statement, said: "Just discussing the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine from NATO countries is a new and extremely important element."
Answering a question about the risks in case NATO member states deploy troops in Ukraine, Mr. Peskov said that in this case, direct conflict would be inevitable.
The US – the superpower behind NATO – and Russia are the two countries with the largest nuclear arsenals in the world. US President Joe Biden has warned that a conflict between the US and Russia could spark World War III.
In particular, the possibility of German troops being deployed to former Soviet territory is extremely sensitive for Russia, which defeated Hitler's invasion in World War II and sees that victory as an integral part of its national identity. Russian President Vladimir Putin has described Russia's military campaign in Ukraine as a fight against "Nazi Germany", a claim that Kiev and the West have rejected.
A senior Ukrainian official has praised Mr Macron's decision to propose the possible deployment of Western troops to the country.
“Above all, this statement shows that he has an absolutely clear awareness of the risks that Europe faces when facing Russia,” commented Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has stepped up lobbying of European governments for more artillery shells and long-range weapons.
The Czech Republic this month announced plans, with support from Canada, Denmark and others, to finance the rapid purchase of hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition from third countries to send to Ukraine.
Nguyen Quang Minh (according to Reuters)
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