Macron says France won’t send troops to Ukraine but considers peace mission
On Thursday, February 20, 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron made it clear that France isn’t planning to send troops to Ukraine “tomorrow.” Instead, he said France is thinking about sending forces to help maintain peace once a ceasefire agreement is made with Russia.
Macron made these comments while answering questions from French social media users, ahead of his planned visit to the White House next week. He also mentioned that when he meets US President Donald Trump, he will tell him that he needs to be tough when dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I have not decided to send troops to Ukraine tomorrow, no. What we are considering instead is deploying forces to guarantee peace once it has been negotiated,” Macron explained. He added, “I’m going to tell him: ‘You can’t be weak with President Putin. That’s not who you are, it’s not your trademark, and it’s not in your interest.’”
Macron also spoke about how recent changes in US-Russia relations mean France needs to be ready to strengthen its own security.
The White House announced that Trump will meet with Macron on Monday, February 24, and with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday, February 27.
