Macron to address military chiefs from 30 countries on Ukraine
/ Photo: © AFP/File
Macron to address military chiefs from 30 countries on Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron was on Tuesday to address a meeting of military chiefs from 30 European and NATO countries willing to contribute to security guarantees for Ukraine after any negotiated truce with Russia.
Macron, who has sought to rally a European response to Washington's shock policy shift in US-Russia relations, has said Tuesday's meeting will be held in coordination with NATO military command.
The closed-door meeting comes as Ukraine on Tuesday began negotiations with US officials in Saudi Arabia, with a partial ceasefire with Russia on the table.
The get-together of military chiefs of staff from 30 European and NATO nations -- including Britain and Turkey -- is "important," said Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, adding that it would aim to lay the foundation for any possible security guarantees for Ukraine.
"It is simply a question of looking ahead and thinking about what the Ukrainian army should be in the future," Lecornu said ahead of the talks.
"We will reject any form of demilitarisation of Ukraine," he added.
With more than 800,000 troops, Ukraine's army is the largest in Europe, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
More than three years since Russia invaded its neighbour, Europe is scrambling to boost its defences and break free from dependence on the United States.
Trump has renewed talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and criticised Zelensky, raising fears in Kyiv and among European allies that the US president may try to force Ukraine to accept a settlement favouring Russia.
Trump has also suspended military aid and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv.
- Meeting with defence manufacturers -
Macron has teamed up with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to lead efforts to form a "coalition of the willing" to enforce an eventual ceasefire in Ukraine.
On Friday, the French president, who has pushed the country's defence industry to switch to "war economy mode", is set to meet with defence manufacturers, according to a member of his team.
After Tuesday's talks, defence ministers from Europe's five main military powers -- France, Britain, Germany, Italy and Poland -- are to meet in the French capital on Wednesday. EU and NATO representatives and the Ukrainian defence minister will also take part.
Those talks will centre on the "necessary rearmament of Europe" and military support to Ukraine, one of Lecornu's aides has said.
Starmer will, in turn, host virtual talks on Saturday with leaders of the nations willing to help support the ceasefire.
Macron has said any European troops in Ukraine would be deployed only "once a peace deal is signed, to guarantee it is fully respected".
He has also said he would be ready to discuss extending France's nuclear deterrent to European partners.
Last week EU chief Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a plan to mobilise around 800 billion euros ($843 billion) for Europe's defence and help provide "immediate" military support for Ukraine.
France also plans to raise defence spending, with Lecornu referring to a target of around 100 billion euros a year, compared to 50.5 billion in 2025.
Turkey, with NATO's second-largest army after the United States as well as a Black Sea shoreline, is looking to play a key role in Europe's security after Washington's pivot away from the region.
Its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has thrown his support behind Zelensky's call for an aerial and naval truce.
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T.Ward--TNT
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