Macron was open to the idea. He said France had liaised with other European countries, particularly Britain, on a potential framework for acting as peacekeepers, but without putting soldiers on the front lines.
The French president said it was crucial to include security guarantees for Ukraine that were missing from previous deals between Kyiv and the Kremlin, and hinted they should be underwritten by the U.S. at a press conference with Trump later in the day.
“After today’s discussions, I am convinced that there is a way … to make this solid, lasting peace a reality,” Macron said. “A lot of my European colleagues are ready to be engaged, but we do need this American backing because this is part of the security guarantees.”
According to Macron, the European peacekeeping force, discussed primarily with the U.K., would be deployed as “a show of support” to Ukraine only if Kyiv and Moscow signed a peace deal.
“We want peace swiftly. But we don’t want an agreement that is weak,” he said.
It remains to be seen whether the Kremlin would sign a settlement along the lines of what was mooted on Monday, particularly given its traditional resistance to peacekeepers.
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