French Foreign Min Talks Of 'Non-Combat Roles' For NATO Troops

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne told members of the National Assembly that any French troops sent to Ukraine would strictly perform non-combat roles. On 26 Feb, President Emmanuel Macron's comments about European/NATO troops potentially being deployed on the ground in Ukraine garnered major international attention, and a swift rebuttal from a number of Ukraine's allies. A short time ago, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni added her objections to the prospect of NATO troops being deployed in Ukraine.

• Sejourne said that "We must consider new actions to support Ukraine. These must respond to very specific needs, I am thinking in particular of mine clearance, cyberdefence, the production of weapons on site, on Ukrainian territory...Some of its actions could require a presence on Ukrainian territory, without crossing the threshold of fighting. Nothing should be ruled out. This was and still is the position today of the president of the Republic."
• While Macron's intention may have been to show Western resolve in supporting Ukraine over the long term, the fact that a number of heads of gov't of Ukrainian allies have rapidly come out to pour cold water on the comments could serve to highlight disunity. The roll-call of leaders putting down the comments will form a list of countries that Russia knows will not commit troops to Ukraine, potentially no matter the situation on the ground.