French, UK, Turkish troops could be deployed in Ukraine right after peace deal, Macron says
Soldiers from France, the U.K., or Turkey could be sent to Ukraine as part of the "reassurance force" on the "day the peace is signed," French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview with French radio RTL published on Nov. 25.
Forces operating under the "Coalition of the Willing" would be deployed to rear locations, such as Kyiv or Odesa, to provide security and training, thus serving as one of Ukraine's post-war guarantees, Macron said at the EU-African Union summit in Angola.
The French- and U.K.-led coalition was established earlier this year to provide security guarantees to Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal, aiming to strengthen the country against any future Russian aggression.
The deployment in Ukraine would not be carried out under NATO's framework, but as part of an "intergovernmental coalition," Macron said.
"We have about 20 countries that have already said what they are prepared to do actively, either in the air, on land, or at sea," the French president added.
Macron also noted that the coalition could establish an "air reassurance" force, which could be based outside of Ukraine but work in conjunction with the Ukrainian Air Force.
London and Paris have led the talks on deploying the reassurance force in Ukraine to support the country's Armed Forces, secure facilities in the western regions, and provide aerial and maritime backing.
Speaking to Reuters in August, an unnamed Turkish official did not rule out Turkey's participation but said any peacekeeping mission would be contingent on a ceasefire and require a clear mandate.
Though a NATO member and part of the "Coalition of the Willing," Turkey has attempted to strike a balance between the warring sides, positioning itself as a mediator between Kyiv and Moscow.
Russia has repeatedly rejected the presence of NATO troops on Ukrainian territory as part of any peace deal.
The news comes amid reinvigorated peace efforts, with U.S. officials reportedly leading talks with Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi following consultations on a Washington-backed peace plan in Geneva.
The original 28-point plan, which ruled out the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine and limited the Ukrainian peacetime military to 600,000 troops, was subsequently reduced to 19 points in Geneva.
According to the Financial Times, the U.S. and Ukraine agreed to cap Kyiv's peacetime military at 800,000 instead, a figure that would put it close to its current strength during war.
Macron stressed that a strong Ukrainian army remains the primary post-war guarantee.
