Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. election revived discussion among European allies on sending military personnel or private defense contractors to Ukraine, Le Monde reported on Nov. 25, citing undisclosed sources.
The topic was reportedly brought up during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to France on Nov. 11, as London and Paris do not rule out taking the lead in the pro-Kyiv coalition, the outlet writes.
There are fears that Trump's victory might lead to the U.S. withdrawing its support for Ukraine, leaving it up to European allies to help Kyiv resist Russian aggression.
French President Emmanuel Macron previously suggested deploying military trainers to Ukraine, but the idea has met strong opposition among several key allies, namely Germany.
According to Le Monde, discussions on the deployment of Western troops are still ongoing, but the details remain classified.
One proposal reportedly involved allowing the Defense Conseil International (DCI), a 55%-state-held defense contractor, to help train Ukrainian troops directly in Ukraine, as it already does in Poland and France.
Talking to the media on Nov. 23, France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that the West should "not set and express red lines" on providing Ukraine with military support.
When asked by the BBC whether sending French troops would constitute a so-called red line, Barrot said that France would "not discard any option."
Oleg Sukhov
(Updated: )
