Paris, May 11, 2025 — The Europe Today: French President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that France is consulting with international partners on the possibility of supporting Ukraine with a military presence, as part of broader efforts to bolster Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia.
Speaking to Le Parisien on Saturday, Macron stated:
“We are working on the presence and strategic footprint of the partner countries. There have been several exchanges between our British, French and Ukrainian chiefs of staff, who have coordinated the work with all their partners, and all this is becoming clearer and making progress.”
Though he did not elaborate on the specific form such troop presence might take, Macron stressed:
“The key is to have troops in Ukraine.”
The development comes as major European powers, including France, united in support of an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, a proposal that has received backing from U.S. President Donald Trump.
The ceasefire plan was discussed during a joint visit to Kyiv on Saturday by Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, where they held a phone call with Trump and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The initiative signals a significant escalation in European involvement and underscores growing Western resolve to strengthen Ukraine’s position both militarily and diplomatically.
Macron’s comments may spark debate within the European Union and NATO, where direct deployment of troops to Ukraine has so far been treated with caution, given the risk of further escalating tensions with Russia.
No official confirmation has been provided on timelines or the nature of potential troop involvement, but strategic coordination among Western allies appears to be intensifying.
