The US Draws the Line on Troop Deployment... France Still Says "Cannot Rule Out the Possibility"

The White House in the United States reaffirmed its existing stance that it will not directly deploy troops to Ukraine, which is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This clarification came after French President Emmanuel Macron’s remarks about the possibility of Western troop deployment, stating that "nothing should be ruled out," which sparked wider controversy. European countries including Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain also announced that they have no plans to send troops.

Adrian Watson, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council (NSC), stated in a press release on the 27th (local time), "President Joe Biden has made it clear that he will not deploy troops to Ukraine," he said. On the same day, Pat Ryder, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, also said during a briefing, "We have no plans to send soldiers to fight in Ukraine. The President has been very clear about this, and that remains our position."

Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, responded to questions about whether deployment to Ukraine for purposes other than combat troops, such as training, would be possible by saying, "We are not sending ground troops to Ukraine," and "The President has been very clear about that." He added, "We believe the path to Ukraine’s victory lies with the U.S. Congress," urging Congress to pass a comprehensive security budget that includes support for Ukraine.

This statement is interpreted as directly drawing a line against the Western speculation about troop deployment, which was mentioned by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and spread by President Macron’s remarks. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. has maintained the position of providing material support, including weapons, to Ukraine but not deploying troops directly.

Earlier, Prime Minister Fico claimed in a speech on national TV on the 26th that some NATO and European Union (EU) members were considering deploying troops to Ukraine. This troop deployment controversy escalated when President Macron responded, "Nothing should be ruled out. We will do everything necessary to prevent Russia from winning." Russia immediately reacted, stating, "Direct confrontation between Russia and NATO would be inevitable if troops are deployed," and countries such as Germany, the UK, Italy, and Spain also announced that they have no plans to send troops.

However, despite the denials from the U.S. and other major countries, the troop deployment speculation does not seem to have been completely quelled. French Foreign Minister St?phane S?journ? appeared before parliament on the same day and said, "We could participate in mine clearance, weapons production, and cyber operations in Ukraine." He explained, "Some of these activities may need to be carried out directly on Ukrainian territory without crossing into combat zones," adding, "The President’s position remains that no possibility should be ruled out." This implies that even non-combat military personnel could be directly deployed to Ukraine to provide support. He also added, "We need to consider new measures to support Ukraine and respond to very specific needs."

AFP reported, "President Macron broke a major taboo by raising the possibility of deploying Western troops to Ukraine. This is a bold move toward a final showdown against nuclear-armed Russia." Accordingly, there is analysis that Macron’s bold public discussion could create a consensus on the need for Western intervention to bring an end to the war that has lasted more than two years.