After Donald Trump’s victory in the US election, discussions have resumed in Europe about the possibility of sending Western military and private defense companies to Ukraine.
According to the newspaper, although the discussions remain delicate and closed, the issue of sending ground troops to Ukraine has once again become relevant among European leaders.
The idea, which was previously actively discussed but not implemented due to opposition, in particular from Emmanuel Macron, received a new impetus after Trump’s victory. Thus, on November 11, during a meeting between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the French President, they discussed the possibility of forming a coalition that would focus on supporting Ukraine.
According to Le Monde, London and Paris are considering defense cooperation to create a “hard core” of European allies that would focus on strengthening security in Ukraine and Europe more broadly.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot reiterated his strong support for Ukraine in an interview with the BBC on November 23. When asked about a possible deployment of French troops, he said:
“We do not rule out any option. We will support Ukraine as long and as intensively as necessary. This is a matter of our security: every square kilometer occupied by the Russian army increases the threat to Europe.”
In an interview with Le Monde, Elie Tenenbaum, a researcher at the French Institute of International Relations, noted that sending European troops would be technically possible, but only in the event of a ceasefire. In this case, the soldiers would serve as a security guarantee in the region.