Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, has stated that it is premature to discuss the possibility of an allied contingent as part of security guarantees for Ukraine.
In a statement following a summit in Paris with several European leaders, convened by President Emmanuel Macron, Barrot was asked about the potential deployment of a European peacekeeping force to Ukraine after a possible agreement to end the ongoing conflict.
“This issue is not on the table right now… It’s too early to talk about it,” Barrot remarked.
“This issue will arise in due course, when there is an agreement for peace, to guarantee it,” he added.
France was the first European country to authorize the deployment of its military forces to Ukraine, a move initially met with caution by other European nations.
The concept of an allied contingent as part of Ukraine’s security guarantees has gained more attention with the return of Donald Trump to the White House and the resumption of negotiations between Washington and Moscow.
Unconfirmed reports from The Washington Post suggest that Europe could be ready to send as many as 30,000 soldiers to Ukraine, with France prepared to contribute around a third of that total.
Britain, Sweden, and Denmark have also publicly indicated their willingness or potential readiness to support such a mission.
