26 nations have pledged post-war security support for Ukraine: Macron
What's the story
French President Emmanuel Macron has said that 26 countries are ready to offer postwar security guarantees to Ukraine. The commitment was made during a summit in Paris, where European leaders sought clarity on United States President Donald Trump's support for Kyiv. "The day the conflict stops, the security guarantees will be deployed," Macron said at a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Deployment details
Troops not to be stationed on frontline: Macron
"We have today 26 countries who have formally committed—some others have not yet taken a position—to deploy a 'reassurance force troops in Ukraine, or be present on the ground....sea or...air," Macron said after the summit. Macron clarified that the troops would not be stationed "on the frontline" but would work to "prevent any new major aggression." Some countries may provide guarantees without being physically present in Ukraine, like training and equipping Kyiv's forces.
US involvement
Kremlin dismisses Western nations' ability to provide security guarantees
The exact number of troops involved in these guarantees remains unspecified. Macron also said the United States's contributions to these guarantees would be finalized in the coming days. The Ukrainian president hailed the move, saying, "I think that today, for the first time in a long time, this is the first such serious concrete step."
Summit outcome
Germany, Spain, Italy yet to commit troops
The Kremlin, however, has dismissed Western countries' ability to provide security guarantees. Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for President Vladimir Putin, told RIA Novosti that such guarantees "cannot" be acceptable to Russia. The summit was attended by 35 leaders from the "coalition of the willing," mainly European countries. They aimed to finalize security guarantees and seek US backing, which they believe is crucial for making these guarantees viable. However, countries like Germany, Spain, and Italy have so far refrained from committing troops.