France's Defence Ministry: No plans to send ground forces to Ukraine, exploring alternative options

Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of the Armed Forces of France, has stated there is currently "no question of deploying ground forces to engage in combat" in Ukraine. However, he acknowledged the potential deployment of foreign military personnel as "instructors" or bomb disposal experts.

Source: European Pravda, citing Lecornu in an interview with BFMTV

Quote: "Are there any plans regarding military presence that are deemed infeasible? I'm referring to demining and training Ukrainian soldiers on their own soil."

Details: Lecornu emphasised that "we are no longer in the same situation as two years ago." 

On 7 March, the Kremlin accused Emmanuel Macron of increasing "[the] direct involvement of France" in the war.

Responding to questions about this statement, Lecornu underscored that "France's history does not permit showing weakness. Maintaining a balance of power means not being weak and avoiding escalation. We do not want to demonstrate weakness in front of Moscow."

Background:

• President Emmanuel Macron of France told party leaders that there are no "red lines" in supporting Ukraine on the eve of the statement.
• On 17 February, French President Emmanuel Macron instructed the government to "make a statement to parliament" regarding the bilateral security agreement signed with Ukraine on 16 February and the situation in Ukraine in general, after which there will be "debates and votes".
• For the second week in a row, Europe has been discussing Macron's resonant statement about the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine.

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