Berlin, Germany – European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, have dismissed the idea of sending ground troops to Ukraine amidst escalating tensions with Russia. The Kremlin issued a warning, signaling that such a move would lead to direct conflict between Russia and the Western security alliance.
French President Emmanuel Macron, at a recent European leaders’ meeting in Paris, had raised the prospect of increasing support for Ukraine in its conflict against Russia. However, the consensus among key European leaders and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is clear: there are no plans to deploy combat troops on the ground in Ukraine.
While NATO members have shown unprecedented support for Ukraine, there is a reluctance to involve the alliance in direct military engagement with Russia. The taboo around sending troops remains strong, with individual NATO members potentially joining any effort independently, but requiring unanimous agreement from all 31 members for NATO to officially intervene.
The Kremlin’s response to discussions of sending troops from NATO countries to Ukraine has been firm. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that such actions would inevitably lead to a direct conflict between NATO and Russia. Macron’s initial remarks on the matter sparked controversy and prompted his government to clarify that troop deployment would be for specific non-combat tasks like mine clearance and cyber-defense.
The recent conference in Paris, where France, Germany, and the UK signed long-term security agreements with Ukraine, highlights the ongoing efforts to bolster support for the country’s defense. Despite differing opinions on troop deployment, European leaders are united in their commitment to assisting Ukraine while avoiding a wider military confrontation with Russia. The delicate balance between showing solidarity with Ukraine and preventing further escalation underscores the complex dynamics at play in the region.