Le Monde: Europe resumes discussions on sending troops to Ukraine
Discussions on deploying Western troops and private defence contractors to Ukraine have resumed in Europe after Donald Trump's victory in the US elections.
As reported by Le Monde, the debate is sensitive and classified, but according to the newspaper, the issue of deploying ground troops to Ukraine has once again been placed on the agenda of European leaders.
Although French President Emmanuel Macron sparked strong opposition when he brought up this issue in February, it appears that with the return of Donald Trump to power in the United States, the discussion has resurfaced.
Le Monde reports that this topic was discussed on 11 November during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to France. It was highlighted that neither London nor Paris are ruling out leading a coalition to support Ukraine.
"Discussions are underway between the United Kingdom and France on defence cooperation, including the creation of a core group of European allies focused on Ukraine and broader European security," a British military source told Le Monde.
On 23 November, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also confirmed France’s strong and ongoing support for Ukraine in an interview with the BBC.
Asked if France’s support could extend to deploying ground troops to Ukraine, he responded: "We are not ruling out any options."
"We will support Ukraine as intensely and for as long as necessary. Why? Because our security is at stake. Every time the Russian army advances by one square kilometre, the threat moves one step closer to Europe," he added.
However, Elie Tenenbaum, a researcher at the French Institute of International Relations, told Le Monde that sending ground troops could be technically feasible in the event of a ceasefire, with European soldiers deployed to ensure security in the region.
Dutch General Rob Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, stated that if Western leaders were not constrained by the risk of Russia using nuclear weapons, they would have already deployed their troops to assist Ukraine in the war.