France advocates for strategic balance of power amid discussion of Western troops in Ukraine

"We are at a pivotal moment that should lead us to confront Russia,” Séjourné stated.

“These countries only understand the balance of power, and we must leverage this balance to protect the French and Europeans."

There will be dire consequences for the European Union if Ukraine were to lose its battle against Russian aggression.

"If Ukraine falls, the cascading effects will be significant, and I would not rely on the European Union or our ability to reach a consensus," Séjourné stated.

Séjourné worries about a war between Russia and NATO, should Ukraine fall.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is testing the solidarity among NATO member countries, Séjourné noted, stressing the need to "avoid this scenario" and, along with allies, "keep a close eye on Ukraine," engage in bilateral agreements, and offer the best possible assistance to Ukrainians.

Before the summit of European leaders in Paris on Feb. 26, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that several NATO and EU member states were discussing the possibility of sending their militaries to Ukraine based on bilateral agreements. Slovakia will not take such a step but will respect the decisions of countries that agree to send troops to Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron later stated that sending Western troops to Ukraine in the future could not be ruled out. He added that there is currently no agreement on this issue.

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal echoed Macron’s statement regarding the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine, emphasizing that Paris would not accept a situation where Russia wins the war.

Polish President Andrzej Duda mentioned that representatives of 28 countries actively discussed the idea of sending troops to Ukraine during a meeting in Paris, but it did not generate much enthusiasm. This issue was the subject of heated debate.

Poland’s Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk stated that his country ”has no project or idea” to send its military to Ukraine.

The issue of sending troops to Ukraine is not relevant for Sweden, said Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg clarified that the Alliance has no plans to send its military to Ukraine, highlighting that allies have been providing unprecedented assistance to Ukraine since 2014.