"Russia’s defeat is necessary for the safety of Europe". Macron did not rule out the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron announced the creation of a new coalition to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles and ammunition following a meeting of European leaders in Paris on February 26. He also said that in the future, the possibility of sending Western ground troops to counter russian aggression should not be ruled out, according to the BBC.

"There is no consensus today regarding the dispatch of ground troops, but nothing can be ruled out. We will do everything possible to ensure that russia cannot win this war", - Macron said. "We are convinced that defeating russia is necessary for the safety and stability of Europe".

Emmanuel Macron stated that the new coalition plans to supply Ukraine with medium and long-range missiles.

He also commented on media reports about the possible supply of French Mirage fighters to Ukraine and stated that Paris is currently not in negotiations on this matter.

The conference at the Élysée Palace discussed strengthening Western support for Ukraine, with the participation of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, UK Foreign Minister David Cameron, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, as well as leaders of Scandinavian and Baltic countries.

The United States was represented by Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Jim O'Brien, and Canada by Defense Minister Bill Blair. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also addressed the participants with a brief statement, saying, "Together we must ensure that putin cannot destroy our achievements and spread his aggression to other countries".

As reported, France will provide Ukraine with up to 3 billion euros in military aid in 2024.