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Schill says France ready to send troops to Ukraine in case of truce
(MENAFN) France is prepared to deploy its forces as early as next year to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, Army Chief of Staff Pierre Schill announced, aligning with plans proposed by Western backers of Kiev in the event of a ceasefire.
Addressing the National Assembly’s Defense Committee on Thursday, Schill said that the upcoming year “will be marked by coalitions,” referring to the large-scale French-led Orion 26 exercise designed to test coordination among NATO forces. “We will stand ready to deploy forces within the framework of security guarantees, if necessary, for the benefit of Ukraine,” he told lawmakers.
Schill added that the French military is capable of responding to three simultaneous “alerts,” including a potential mission to Ukraine. France currently maintains a “national emergency level” of 7,000 troops ready to be mobilized within 12 hours to five days for domestic assignments or NATO operations.
His remarks came shortly after Chief of the Armed Forces Fabien Mandon stressed that the French military must be prepared for a potential confrontation with Russia in the coming years. Mandon suggested that Russia “may be tempted” to expand the conflict into Europe, a claim consistently denied by Moscow.
Last month, reports indicated that EU military leaders are drafting plans for “security guarantees” for Kiev. The proposed framework envisions sending roughly 10,000 troops to Ukraine, with one contingent tasked with training and supporting Ukrainian forces, and another serving as a “reassurance force” following a peace settlement.
Moscow has strongly opposed any NATO troop presence in Ukraine, citing Kiev’s aspirations to join the alliance as a central cause of the conflict. Earlier this month, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Western European governments of escalating the situation, criticizing what she described as “non-professionals” failing to consider the consequences of their actions. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, however, has said that Moscow would accept security guarantees for Ukraine if they also account for Russia’s interests.
Addressing the National Assembly’s Defense Committee on Thursday, Schill said that the upcoming year “will be marked by coalitions,” referring to the large-scale French-led Orion 26 exercise designed to test coordination among NATO forces. “We will stand ready to deploy forces within the framework of security guarantees, if necessary, for the benefit of Ukraine,” he told lawmakers.
Schill added that the French military is capable of responding to three simultaneous “alerts,” including a potential mission to Ukraine. France currently maintains a “national emergency level” of 7,000 troops ready to be mobilized within 12 hours to five days for domestic assignments or NATO operations.
His remarks came shortly after Chief of the Armed Forces Fabien Mandon stressed that the French military must be prepared for a potential confrontation with Russia in the coming years. Mandon suggested that Russia “may be tempted” to expand the conflict into Europe, a claim consistently denied by Moscow.
Last month, reports indicated that EU military leaders are drafting plans for “security guarantees” for Kiev. The proposed framework envisions sending roughly 10,000 troops to Ukraine, with one contingent tasked with training and supporting Ukrainian forces, and another serving as a “reassurance force” following a peace settlement.
Moscow has strongly opposed any NATO troop presence in Ukraine, citing Kiev’s aspirations to join the alliance as a central cause of the conflict. Earlier this month, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Western European governments of escalating the situation, criticizing what she described as “non-professionals” failing to consider the consequences of their actions. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, however, has said that Moscow would accept security guarantees for Ukraine if they also account for Russia’s interests.
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