Europe needs a "massive defense plan" to face the growing threat from Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron said in a wide-ranging social media live feed on Feb. 20.
Macron's remarks come ahead of his planned visit to Washington, D.C., where the French president is set to meet next week with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss peace negotiations in Ukraine.
"I'm going to tell him (Trump) 'You can't be weak with (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin. That's not who you are, it's not your trademark, it's not in your interest,'" Macron said on Feb. 20.
Macron has been rallying European leaders in recent days to discuss European and Ukrainian security in the wake of shifting U.S. policy towards Russia. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will join Macron in Washington and will also speak with Trump in a separate meeting.
In his Feb. 20 remarks, Macron slammed Russia as a "dangerous military power that has become imperialist." He said Russia had "globalized" the war in Ukraine by bringing in North Korean troops, and said a worldwide conflict was not off the table.
Macron called on Europe to come together to create a "massive defense plan" for the continent.
Europe is not likely to form a common army, Macron clarified, but can work to create joint defense capabilities and autonomy from the U.S.
Regarding Ukraine, France is open to providing Kyiv with security guarantees, including deploying peacekeeping forces to monitor a potential ceasefire.
"I have not decided to send troops to Ukraine tomorrow, no," Macron added. "What we are considering instead is sending forces to guarantee peace once it has been negotiated."
In partnership with the U.K., France is ready to consider sending experts or even a limited number of troops beyond the front line to demonstrate solidarity and help Ukraine defend itself, Macron said.
Supporting NATO membership for Ukraine is among a number of ways France is ready to support Ukraine in its battle against Russia's aggression, he added.
While Macron on Feb. 18 said he would not send combat troops to Ukraine, the French president has been at the forefront of calls to deploy European peacekeepers to monitor a ceasefire.
The U.K. is reportedly going to pitch Trump a plan to deploy 30,000 peacekeepers to Ukraine as a post-ceasefire security guarantee. Trump has said he wants Europe to take over the responsibility of funding and monitoring Ukraine's defense.
Elsa Court
