As of: March 1, 2024, 5:04 p.m
By: Kilian Beck
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Even after international criticism, the French president is sticking to his statement about Western ground troops in Ukraine.
Paris – Despite clear criticism, French President Emmanuel Macron is sticking to his thoughts on ground troops in Ukraine.
“Every word I say on this topic is considered, thoughtful and prudent,” he told broadcaster
BFMTV
at the opening of the Olympic Village in Paris .
He did not want to comment further on Thursday (February 29) because it was not the place for “geopolitical comments”.
After a recent Ukraine aid conference, Macron described his country's use of ground troops in Ukraine, which is under attack by Russia, as not being ruled out.
At the meeting with more than 20 heads of state and government, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), there was no agreement on this, but nothing could be ruled out in the future course of the war, Macron said in Paris on Monday evening.
Scholz rejected Macron's proposal for a possible deployment of ground troops from NATO countries to Ukraine.
Chancellor Scholz “clearly” against Bundeswehr soldiers in Ukraine – experts divided on Macron’s statement
“To make it clear: As German Chancellor, I will not send soldiers from our Bundeswehr to Ukraine,” the Chancellor said in a video message.
“That applies.
Our soldiers can rely on that.
And you can rely on that.” NATO will not become a warring party, Scholz added.
“It stays that way.” Germany agrees with its allies: “We don’t want Russia’s war against Ukraine to turn into a war between Russia and NATO.” The military alliance also largely rejects the use of ground troops in Ukraine .
French President Emmanuel Macron did not want to rule out ground troops from Western countries.
© Gonzalo Fuentes/RTR/AP/dpa
Speaking to
merkur.de from IPPEN.MEDIA
, Bonn military expert Joachim Weber criticized that Macron was “almost playfully juggling the idea of expanding” the Ukraine war “into a major war”.
Ulf Steindl from the Vienna Austria Institute for European and Security Policy, however, told
merkur.de
: It is important that Russia is clearly conveyed that the West is keeping its promise to support Ukraine.
Macron's statements are also being debated in France.
His head of government Gabriel Attal and the opposition right-wing radical Marine Le Pen already clashed in the National Assembly.
(dpa/kb)