Coalition Of The Willing Plan For Ukraine's Security Guarantees Gains U.S. Support, French Expert Says

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) This was stated on the sidelines of the France-Ukraine Forum in an comment to Ukrinform by Alice Rufo, Director General for International Relations and Strategy of the Ministry for the Armed Forces of France.

“Through the President and his military command, France sends a signal to the U.S.: Europe must take responsibility. And if we had not initiated this process, we simply wouldn't be standing beside you today. I am convinced of that. And it was Ukraine that awakened this ability in Europe and France to take initiative. This is rare,” she emphasized.

According to Rufo, Russia obviously does not agree with Ukraine receiving reliable security guarantees. However, it has no veto over Ukrainian sovereignty, and Europe will no longer accept a return to the“Minsk agreements”.

“Yesterday's statements by the U.S. President are important, but the initiative must come from Europe. And Europe must convince the U.S. to support its responsibility. I can say that in all our contacts with American allies, the Coalition of the Willing has received their support. This is significant,” the expert noted.

Rufo said that implementing the Coalition's project demonstrates that Europe is ready to take risks and assume responsibility.

“You take risks on the battlefield - truly, at the cost of your civilians' and soldiers' lives. It would be sad if we could not assume political risks in response to your sacrifices. That is why we started promoting the Coalition of the Willing; that is why, though at first there were only two of us, now there are several dozen countries. This coalition is about Europe's willingness to take risks,” she explained.

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Alice Rufo also added that the French Armed Forces have realized in recent years that France's interests and Europe's interests fully coincide with Ukraine's.

“And I can assure you of this because I have partly experienced it over the past three and a half years at the Ministry of Armed Forces - it has completely changed our way of thinking about European security,” Rufo said.

As reported, France is a key hub of political, economic, humanitarian, and defense support for Ukraine in Europe, particularly amid strategic security uncertainties following the new U.S. administration's rise to power.

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