‘Fallback positions’<\/p>\n
The coalition, a loose alliance of nations whose members include France, Germany, Britain, Belgium, Canada and Turkey among others, sprung up earlier this year amid deep European concern about America\u2019s ongoing support for Ukraine.<\/p>\n
Its members have promised varying degrees of support \u2014\u00a0including, in the case of France and the U.K., a commitment to deploy national troops on the ground\u00a0to police the deal and deter further Russian aggression. <\/p>\n
The coalition has already floated a \u201creassurance force\u201d providing air and naval support to Ukraine, as well as a focus on regenerating the country’s armed forces. Starmer’s spokesman told reporters Tuesday that the U.K. was \u201cstill willing to put boots on the ground\u201d to secure peace. Macron, while stressing that the force would be “far from the frontline,” floated a presence “in fallback positions in Kyiv or Odessa.”<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll have a air reassurance force, which will not be based in Ukraine, but possibly in neighboring countries… leading operations linked with the Ukrainian air force to secure its airspace,” he told French radio.<\/p>\n
With one eye on a wary domestic audience, Macron added: \u201cWe shouldn\u2019t sow panic among the French, because there are a lot of people… who want to scare us, and who are saying that we\u2019re going to immediately send troops, that\u2019s false.”<\/p>\n
Germany has been somewhat more circumspect about its involvement. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul this week pointed to an existing German brigade in Lithuania, saying \u201cwe are more involved in the entire region than almost any other member of NATO\u201d and that this is \u201csufficient.\u201d <\/p>\n