Macron: Russia’s consent not needed for peacekeepers in Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron says that a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine could be deployed without Russia’s consent, Le Parisien reports.

“Ukraine is a sovereign country, and if it requests allied troops on its territory, it is not Russia’s place to approve or reject this,” Macron said.

France and the UK are currently finalizing an action plan for Ukraine, which includes provisions for deploying peacekeeping forces after a ceasefire. The initiative has already piqued the interest of “several countries,” according to the French president.

He said that the goal is not to send a large number of troops since Ukraine already has the largest army in Europe. 

The plan involves stationing a few thousand soldiers from each country at key locations for training and to demonstrate long-term support. 

Potential locations include Kyiv, the Black Sea port city of Odesa, and western Ukraine’s largest city of Lviv.

Meanwhile, The Times, citing its sources, reports that Ukraine’s allies could deploy up to 10,000 peacekeepers.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed this plan during an online summit of 25 nations that are called the “coalition of the willing,” journalists reported over the weekend.

He received significant support for the initiative, with three countries previously agreeing to join. The total number of Western troops is expected to exceed 10,000, with the majority coming from the UK and France.

While the situation has “advanced well,” sources declined to provide specifics on each country’s contribution, explaining that disclosing such details could aid Russia. 

However, reports suggest that about 35 countries have agreed to provide weapons, technical support, and intelligence for the mission in Ukraine.

This effort is aimed at deterring Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching a new invasion, should a ceasefire be reached, the publication adds.

Earlier, Ukrainian World Congress President Paul Grod had urged Australia and other nations to increase their support for Ukraine, including joining the “coalition of the willing,” an informal alliance of Ukraine’s partners proposed as a military-political framework at the London summit.