French politician Jordan Bardella issued a strong warning on Friday, cautioning that if France were to deploy troops to Ukraine, it could potentially lead to a direct military conflict with Russia. As a member of NATO, France’s involvement in the Ukrainian crisis could escalate tensions and potentially spark a confrontation between the two nations.
As Ukraine persists in its battle against Russia’s full-scale invasion, initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin over two years ago, French President Emmanuel Macron has faced criticism for considering the option of providing military support to Ukraine in its fight against Moscow.
During a news conference in late February, Macron mentioned that the possibility of sending troops on the ground has not been dismissed. He revealed that this topic was thoroughly discussed during a meeting with 20 European leaders and Western officials in Paris.
French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged that there is currently no agreement to deploy troops on the ground in an official and endorsed way. However, he emphasized that the situation is fluid and it is important not to rule out any potential actions.
French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu later clarified that the discussions at the Paris meeting focused on de-mining and military training operations in Ukraine, specifically targeting areas away from the front lines.
The minister clarified that sending troops to wage war against Russia is not their intention.
In his remarks on French radio, Bardella, the leader of France’s far-right National Rally party, voiced his criticism of Macron’s statements.
According to Bardella, the French people are deeply worried and anxious due to the president’s statements, which could potentially escalate into a direct conflict with Russia.
According to the politician, the French people have no interest in confronting Russia. He emphasized the need for extreme caution in dealing with the situation.
Newsweek has contacted the Russian government and Macron through an online form, seeking their comments.
In the 2022 French elections, the National Rally party fiercely contested against Macron’s centrist Renaissance party. Macron emerged victorious in April 2022, defeating the then-leader of the National Rally, Marine Le Pen, with 58.55 percent of the vote, while Le Pen secured 41.45 percent. However, Macron’s party faced a setback in June 2022 when the National Rally party gained 81 seats, leading to the loss of parliamentary control for Macron’s party.
When reporters inquired about Macron’s statements, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, highlighted the significance of considering the deployment of NATO forces in Ukraine. He emphasized that such discussions bring forth a crucial new aspect to the situation.
When asked about the potential risks of NATO countries deploying troops to Ukraine, Peskov responded by stating that in such a scenario, it would no longer be a matter of probability, but rather an unavoidable certainty for a direct conflict.
Other NATO members, including the U.S. and Germany, have stated that they will not deploy ground troops to Ukraine. According to National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, President Joe Biden has explicitly stated that the United States will not send its forces to the region.
The European Union (EU), of which France is a member, and the United States have been the primary supporters of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. However, Republican lawmakers in the U.S. have become less inclined to provide additional aid to Ukraine, causing a delay in the funding that the war-torn nation requires to sustain its fight against Moscow’s forces.
There have been concerns about Putin expanding his war to NATO countries. However, the Russian leader has made it clear that Moscow has “no interest” in engaging in conflict with members of NATO.
NATO has strongly criticized Russia for its “aggressive war” and expressed full support for Ukraine, affirming that “Ukraine’s destiny lies with NATO.” Although Ukraine is not currently a member of NATO, it is actively striving to become part of the military alliance.
