PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, that “several thousand” French soldiers could be deployed to help maintain peace in Ukraine following a ceasefire.
In an interview with TV channel France 2 during a meeting of Western and European countries in Paris, Macron said France “will take part in operations” to monitor the Russian-Ukrainian border after a ceasefire agreement is signed.
He stressed, however, that the French soldiers would not serve as combat forces, adding that France would participate in the “regeneration of the Ukrainian army.”
Macron said “work has been carried out between the Ukrainians, the Coalition of the Willing and the Americans,” adding that they would be responsible for determining whether violations occur along the border area.
A coalition of about 30 Western and European countries agreed Tuesday at the Paris meeting that any future peace settlement must include robust and binding security guarantees for Ukraine.
According to a joint declaration, the countries said they are ready to put in place a system of politically and legally binding guarantees once a ceasefire takes effect. This would include participation in a U.S.-led ceasefire monitoring mechanism, continued military support for Ukraine and long-term defense cooperation. / XINHUA