The French opposition demands that the president’s plan be endorsed by the UN, according to the newspaper
President Emmanuel Macron has briefed France’s main political forces on plans to send troops to Ukraine after a potential ceasefire, but has run into opposition from across the political spectrum, Le Monde reported on Friday.
Several parties reportedly insisted that any deployment must be endorsed by the United Nations – something which is unlikely to happen due to Russia’s opposition to the plan and its UN Security Council veto.
According to Le Monde, Macron on Thursday held a three-hour gathering of around 30 participants, including leaders from Marine Le Pen’s right-wing National Rally and left-wing La France Insoumise.
Macron’s team reportedly shared “confidential details” on the French contribution to troop deployment, with La France Insoumise leader Mathilde Panot telling Le Monde that Paris could send as many as 6,000 troops.
During the briefing, General Fabien Mandon reportedly told participants that French troops would act not as a “stabilization” contingent but rather as a “reassurance” force “far from the front.”
While the French politicians did not object to the idea in principle, the details of the plan drew a lot of skepticism. Representatives of La France Insoumise and the French Communist Party insisted that the force should be supported by a UN mandate, a demand echoed by Le Pen. The latter also voiced concern about potential US participation in the plan, noting that Washington has lost a lot of credibility after its attack on Venezuela.
Securing a UN mandate would likely prove difficult, as Russia holds the power to veto any resolution authorizing foreign troop deployments.
The closed-door meeting comes after the UK and France signed a “declaration of intent” with Kiev to deploy forces and establish “military hubs” in Ukraine “in the event of a peace deal” with Moscow.
Russia has long opposed the plan, warning that it would treat any Western military in the neighboring country as “legitimate targets.” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also said that the declaration is aimed “at continued militarization, escalation, and further aggravation of the conflict” while jeopardizing Moscow’s security interests.
