Recent statements by the President of France Emmanuel Macron about the possibility of sending NATO troops to Ukraine have angered American officials who fear an escalation with Russia.
Bloomberg writes about this with reference to an unnamed high-ranking official familiar with the discussions between the allies.
According to the publicationʼs sources, Macronʼs comment caused an instant reaction from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who immediately categorically denied the possibility of sending European troops to Ukraine. Bloomberg writes that Macronʼs statements have also angered US officials, who privately say it could ignite a conflict with Russia.
Macronʼs hints were likely intended to make Putin think, but Bloombergʼs interlocutors say the French presidentʼs words likely backfired. After Germany denied the possibility of sending troops, the ambiguity regarding the "red lines" of Ukraineʼs allies disappeared.
Macronʼs statements "were not sensible" from an operational security perspective, especially given that several countries already have some personnel in Ukraine, unnamed European officials said.
The issue of Europeʼs military unity becomes even more important now that Putin "won" the "elections" in Russia, and the allies will continue to withhold weapons for Ukraine. However, Macronʼs statements can also be used to strengthen his position in the domestic political arena of France — Macron is putting Ukraine at the forefront of the election campaign in the elections to the European Parliament, which will be held in June this year, and his far-right rival Marine Le Pen is acting as an ally of Putin.
Bloomberg notes that since Great Britain is no longer a member of the European Union and the German government is divided, Macron is "turning himself into the de facto head of the continentʼs foreign policy." Not all allies think he is the best champion of their interests. However, according to Bloomberg sources in Brussels, some EU leaders look to Macronʼs leadership and welcome his tough stance on Russia.
At the same time, critics of the French president say that he talks more than he does. As an example, they cite the initiative of the Czech Republic to purchase artillery ammunition for Ukraine outside the European Union. Even last month , Macron said that he supports the Czech initiative, but France has not yet made a financial contribution. And Germany, on the contrary, will spend €300 million on the purchase of 180 000 shells for Ukraine.
What preceded
On February 26, 2024, nearly 20 European leaders met in Paris to discuss threats from Russia. After the end of the conference, French President Emmanuel Macron said that in the future, sending troops of NATO countries to Ukraine should not be ruled out.
This statement caused lively discussions. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the leaders of the Alliance countries said that such a decision was not taken, and in Russia they said that such a step would be a declaration of war. Some NATO members came out in support of Macron. Finland and the Baltic countries urged the West not to reject the idea of deploying troops in Ukraine in case of a critical situation.
Macronʼs statements come against the background of the delay in military aid to Kyiv from the United States and the inability of other allies to quickly resolve the issue of ammunition for the Armed Forces. Macron is also taking advantage of the indecision of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in particular his refusal to transfer long-range Taurus air-to-air missiles to Ukraine.
After that , Macronʼs rhetoric about Ukraine began to intensify. He called on Europe to prepare for various scenarios and stated that there are no limits in helping Ukraine from Paris. However, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, said that by sending NATO troops to Ukraine, Macron meant training. Kuleba noted that Ukraine has never asked its allies to send troops.