Macron says 26 nations ready to send troops after Ukraine ceasefire

New Delhi, Sep 5: French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 countries are prepared to deploy forces to Ukraine once a ceasefire agreement is reached.

The pledge followed a summit in Paris of 35 nations, dubbed the “Coalition of the Willing,” which also included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The proposed multinational force would involve deployments by land, sea, or air, with details of US participation expected soon. Washington has indicated that support is more likely to involve air operations rather than ground troops. The initiative comes amid fading hopes of a ceasefire following recent talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Alaska. Moscow has continued to reinforce its presence in Ukraine while rejecting proposals for Western forces to be involved in any settlement. European leaders stressed that securing a ceasefire is the immediate priority, to be followed by stronger security guarantees for Ukraine. However, some diplomats warned that public pledges of troop deployments could strengthen Russia’s narrative of Western interference. The Paris summit also underlined economic measures, with the US urging Europe to accelerate its phase-out of Russian energy imports. The European Union has set a target of ending oil and gas purchases from Russia by 2027. Despite the new commitments, Russia has insisted it will not halt its offensive without a full peace agreement, while Ukraine and its allies maintain that a ceasefire must come first.

Putin rejects Western plan for security force in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected Western proposals to deploy a multinational “reassurance force” to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, following a summit in Paris aimed at finalising security guarantees. The Kremlin dismissed the initiative and warned that any foreign troops entering Ukraine would be considered targets. Moscow stated that such deployments would be perceived as a threat to Russia. Prospects for a ceasefire remain dim despite last month’s Alaska summit between Putin and US President Donald Trump, which briefly raised hopes of progress towards a peace deal with Ukraine. Meanwhile, the UK- and France-led “Coalition of the Willing” continues to draft plans for security guarantees, including strengthening Ukraine’s military and preparing a reassurance force to enforce any future agreement.