French President Emmanuel Macron said he would consider sending troops to Ukraine in the case of a Russian breakthrough at the front or if Ukraine requested it, in an interview with the Economist published on May 2.
Macron added that such conditions did not currently exist.
In March, Macron called Russia's invasion of Ukraine "existential" for France and the rest of Europe. Later, Macron said he would not rule out the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine.
Macron reiterated this sentiment in his interview with the Economist, saying that Europe's "basic condition" of security depends on its ability to avoid defining concrete red lines.
"If Russia wins in Ukraine there will be no security in Europe," he said.
Kyiv has not appealed to the West to send its troops to Ukraine, instead asking for increased arms supplies to help Ukrainian soldiers fend off Russian aggression.
In a novel comparison, Macron said that France had sent troops to aid African nations in the Sahel when they had asked for help.
The French president also said Europe cannot always rely on the U.S. for defense and must learn to "get ready to protect ourselves."
The interview came ahead of a visit to France by Chinese President Xi Jinping in May. Macron is expected to try and convince Xi to use his influence over Russian President Vladimir Putin to seek an end to the full-scale war in Ukraine.
In recent months, Macron has become an increasingly outspoken advocate of European defense, championing increased defense production and military aid for Ukraine.
During his April 25 speech at the Sorbonne University, Macron urged other EU states to strengthen their defenses and reconsider their role on the global stage, stressing the risks that Europe is currently facing.
Roland Freudenstein
(Updated: )
