In an interview with The Economist weekly, French President Emmanuel Macron once again admitted the possibility of sending Western ground troops to Ukraine. According to him, this could happen if Russia breaks through the front line and Kiev asks for help. AFP reported on the interview.
“If the Russians broke through the front line, if there was a Ukrainian request – which is not the case today – we should legitimately ask this question (about aid),” said Macron, who has made similar comments several times before.
In February, the French president caused a stir by saying that Western allies should not rule out sending troops to Ukraine. Then in March, in an interview with Le Parisien, he said that France may at some point be forced to conduct ground operations in Ukraine to counter Russian forces. According to him, the country is ready for all scenarios.
“To rule it out a priori means not learning from the past two years,” he emphasized now in an interview with The Economist weekly. According to him, the NATO countries initially ruled out sending tanks and aircraft to Ukraine, but later changed their minds to help the country attacked by Russia.
Ukraine has been defending itself against Russian armed aggression for more than two years, Western financial aid and supplies of weapons and ammunition play a significant role in its efforts. However, a several-month delay in the delivery of weapons and ammunition from the US, caused by US internal political disputes, has meant that Russia now has the upper hand in the east of the country on the front, especially in artillery, and its forces are advancing in some places. Even the Ukrainian military command admits the prevailing complex situation.
