Russia does not need to "accept or reject" the sending of forces of allied countries to Ukraine if Kiev makes a request to guarantee a possible peace agreement, French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview with French media, quoted by Agence France-Presse and BTA.
In the interview published today, the French president says he has no intention of "intervening" for now in the dialogue between the US and Russia.
On the other hand, "from the moment we enter this phase of ceasefire" proposed by Washington and Kiev, according to Macron, direct contacts will be needed with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and between French and Russian negotiators to clarify the issue of security guarantees that must be provided to Ukraine.
Since returning to the White House in January, US President Donald Trump has emphasized his desire to end the conflict three years after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and has achieved an impressive rapprochement with the Kremlin's master. After a phase of maximum tension, the Americans and Ukrainians resumed dialogue this week, proposing a one-month ceasefire that the Kremlin has not yet accepted, AFP recalls.
"This is the moment of truth, because if Russia does not sincerely commit to peace", according to Macron, "President Trump will tighten sanctions and retaliatory measures and so we will completely change the dynamic".
The French head of state added that "several European and non-European countries have expressed their willingness to join" in a possible deployment of troops in Ukraine to guarantee a future peace agreement with Russia. This would involve several thousand people per country, who would be deployed "in key points, to carry out training programs" and "to show our support in the long term", he added.
So far, Moscow is firmly against such a deployment, AFP recalls.