International Conference on Ukraine Support Held in Paris
Russia: "We Do Not Want Direct Conflict with Europe"
French President Emmanuel Macron has stated at a Western international conference on support for Ukraine that he does not rule out the possibility of deploying troops to Ukraine, drawing attention to the background of this statement. This is interpreted as a remark aimed at curbing Russia's rapid military expansion as Ukraine begins to lose ground to Russian forces on the eastern front.
Although European countries have not reached an agreement on deploying ground troops, they have generally agreed on rapid ammunition support for Ukraine. Russia has warned and pressured the West, stating that it does not want direct confrontation with European countries.
According to the Associated Press on the 26th (local time), President Macron said at an international conference on support measures for Ukraine held in Paris that day, "We do not rule out the possibility of deploying ground troops to Ukraine," and emphasized, "Nothing should be excluded. We will take all necessary measures to prevent Russia from winning this war."
The conference was attended simultaneously by representatives of the 27 European Union (EU) member states, as well as representatives from Western countries including the United States and the United Kingdom. Leaders of the Baltic states, President Andrzej Duda, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz were among the attendees. From the United States, James O'Brien, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Eurasian Affairs, and from the United Kingdom, Foreign Secretary David Cameron attended as representatives.
Polish President Andrzej Duda, who also attended the conference, explained, "The most heated discussion today was about whether to deploy troops to Ukraine," adding, "However, no agreement was reached on this issue. Opinions were divided, but no such decision was made." He continued, "I hope that we can jointly deliver significant ammunition to Ukraine as soon as possible. This is the most important thing right now. This is what Ukraine really needs," he emphasized.
It is considered very unusual that European countries have taken the lead in mentioning the possibility of deploying ground troops to Ukraine. Until now, European countries have avoided even mentioning direct deployment of ground troops due to concerns about the possibility of escalation by Russia. Support for Ukraine has also focused more on conventional artillery shells, missile support, and financial aid rather than advanced weapons.
However, as the Ukraine war has exceeded two years and Ukrainian forces are gradually losing ground to Russia, and with the United States, which has provided the most military support so far, slowing down its aid to Ukraine ahead of the November presidential election, European security concerns have grown, leading to discussions about the necessity of deploying ground troops.
The Associated Press pointed out that "Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland are considered countries that could become targets of Russia's expansionism in the future," noting that fear is spreading throughout Europe. Earlier this month, the Estonian Foreign Minister also warned, "NATO has only 3 to 4 years left to strengthen its defense."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who participated in the conference via video, urged military support, saying, "We must destroy Putin's achievements and prevent the expansion of aggression to other countries."
Meanwhile, Russia pressured by stating it wants to avoid direct confrontation with EU countries. Konstantin Gavrilov, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations Office at Vienna and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, told the state-run Sputnik news agency that day, "The consequences of an expansion of the conflict that could turn into a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia are unpredictable," adding, "I do not think European citizens, who pay taxes to fund the Ukraine war, want additional wars to break out, and Russia does not want that either."
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