French President Emmanuel Macron has infuriated US officials with his statements about the possible deployment of foreign troops to Ukraine, as they fear such a move could lead to a clash with Russia.

As reported by Bloomberg, Macron's hints were made to get Russian ruler Vladimir Putin thinking, the source said, but officials familiar with NATO discussions on Ukraine said the words could have had the opposite effect.

Other officials, who spoke to Bloomberg on condition of anonymity, said Macron's comments were also not very smart from an operational security perspective, as the news agency noted that several countries already have some troops covertly stationed in Ukraine.

The agency's source said that some EU prime ministers expect Macron to show leadership, and many welcome his tough stance on Russia.

At the same time, Bloomberg notes that critics of the French president say "he’s more talk than action".

In this context, the agency cites the example of the Czech initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine from countries outside the EU. Last month, Macron said he supported the Czech initiative, but France has not yet announced its financial contribution to it.

Despite the controversy surrounding his remarks about the possible deployment of Western troops to Ukraine, Macron refused to back down, insisting that his statements were well thought through but also stressing that France would not follow the "logic of escalation" in its relations with Moscow. 

Subsequently, commenting on the idea he raised, Macron stressed that if such a scenario were to materialise, French forces would not go on the offensive against Russia.