French soldiers soon deployed in Ukraine?

© Armée de terre – Wikimedia Commons

– Soldiers from the 1st Infantry Regiment during an exercise in Norway in March 2022.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC on November 24, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reaffirmed France's commitment to supporting Ukraine “as intensely and as long as necessary“. In response to questions about kyiv's potential use of French long-range missiles, the minister explained that these strikes would be part of a “self-defense logic». «The principle is established (…) our messages to President Zelensky were well received“, he said. He, however, refused to confirm whether such missiles had ever been used by the Ukrainian armed forces to strike targets inside the territory of the Russian Federation.

Notably, Jean-Noël Barrot, who spoke to Foreign Minister David Lammy in London on Friday, said Western allies should not impose limits on Ukraine's support against Russia, and “do not stare or express red lines“. Asked whether French troops could be deployed on the Ukrainian front, he replied: “We are not ruling out any option.” The minister insisted on the need to maintain military and financial support for Ukraine, believing that “our safety is at stake.»

A new context with the election of Donald Trump

This posture is accompanied by broader strategic thinking, including the possibility of inviting Ukraine to join NATO. The tenant of the Quai d'Orsay thus raised the possibility for Ukraine to join the transatlantic organization, emphasizing that “every kilometer gained by Russia is a threat to Europe“. These statements come after a week marked by an intensification of hostilities in Ukraine. Russia fired a new hypersonic missile against a Ukrainian arms factory on Thursday.

The French minister's comments also coincide with the prospect of a major political change in the United States, where the election of Donald Trump could influence American aid to Ukraine. According to Jean-Noël Barrot, it is crucial that Western allies maintain their support for Ukraine, despite the threats. “We must not let Putin's intimidation dictate our actions», he insisted, while emphasizing the need for European countries to increase their military spending.