Emmanuel Macron stated that Russia will not have any influence over whether foreign forces are stationed in Ukraine to help maintain a potential cease-fire.
France, Britain, along with other NATO nations such as Turkey, have shown their readiness to help support a peacekeeping mission to safeguard tranquility in war-torn Ukraine.
“If Ukraine asks allied forces to be on its territory, it is not up to Russia to accept or not,” Mr Marcon told local press late on Saturday, ahead of another heavy round of air strikes between Russia and Ukraine .
Moscow has repeatedly rejected the idea of Nato soldiers being stationed in Ukraine, saying such a move would be a major escalation.
Mr Macron clarified that any peacekeeping force would consist of “a few thousand troops per country”, to be deployed at important locations. He added that a number of European and non-European countries were interested in participating.
Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister of Australia, reaffirmed on Saturday that Australia is ready to contribute soldiers. , while Canada has similarly stated that it would take such a request into consideration.
Nevertheless, the specifics of how this force would be dispatched are still vague.
Finland’s President, Alexander Stubb, stated that concrete commitments would only be made after a clear strategy had been established.
"There could be as few as none or up to fifty distinct methods they can assist with. Deploying troops is just one option. They might also discuss intelligence or consider various other approaches, but it's premature to make any commitments at this point," he stated to the BBC on Saturday.
In a rush to consolidate military support from Ukraine, Sir Keir Starmer hosted a virtual meeting on Saturday with a "alliance of the eager" comprising 26 countries , including Ukraine.
The Prime Minister disclosed that NATO leaders were scheduled to convene in London on Thursday. to prepare for a peacekeeping force that had now entered an "operational stage".
Sir Keir reiterated that Britain is prepared to take on a "leadership position" and commit "ground troops and air support." Nevertheless, sources indicate that the coalition of allies has not yet formally agreed to send military forces into Ukraine.
Fighting continues
At the same time, on the battleground, Russian forces keep reclaiming ground swiftly from Ukraine in Kursk. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine cautioned that Russia is gearing up for another assault. of Ukraine’s north east.
Mr. Zelensky stated that Russian forces are amassing along the frontier adjacent to Ukraine’s Sumy region, which shares boundaries with Kursk.
Any fresh invasion or significant intensification of combat would seriously disrupt Washington's attempts to establish a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine , a proposition that Kyiv has agreed to, though the Kremlin has not yet consented.
Earlier this week, Vladimir Putin initially expressed general support for Washington’s ceasefire proposal; however, he indicated that “serious questions” remain , and that his troops would keep battling until specific demands were met.
"I want all our partners to clearly comprehend Putin’s exact plans, what he intends to prepare for, and what he plans to disregard," President Zelensky stated, alleging that Putin aims to prolong the ceasefires to enhance his forces' tactical advantage on the battlefield.
He stated, "The accumulation of Russian troops suggests that Moscow plans to continue disregarding diplomatic efforts. It’s evident that Russia is extending the conflict,"
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