UKRAINE: French Pres To Seek Alliance On Sending Military Trainers To Ukraine-FT

The FT is reporting that French President Emmanuel Macron is set to seek to form an alliance of nations willing to send military trainers to Ukraine to help accelerate recruitment within the country's armed forces. The report claims Macron will unveil France's plan for sending military trainers when he hosts Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Joe Biden on 6 June at an event marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day in WWII. 

• FT: "Macron’s proposal would entail French soldiers training Ukrainian personnel for tasks including demining operations or repairing and maintaining military equipment. It could end up involving dozens or hundreds of troops." Over 100k Ukrainian troops have been trained abroad during the course of the war against Russia, but Kyiv argues it would be more efficient for western military trainers to work in Ukraine. 
• The deployment of military trainers in Ukraine would mark the first time that NATO military personnel have been on the ground in Ukraine. There is the risk that Russia argues such a deployment constitutes NATO becoming party to the war in Ukraine. Should these personnel be targeted by Russian drone, missile, or air strikes it would raise the prospect of direct NATO-Russia confrontation for the first time.