This is what the French president said in response to Washington’s objection that the possible deployment of French troops to Ukraine and a Russian strike on them could drag Western countries into conflict with Russian Federation.
Macron has spent months convincing Scholz and other leaders of the need for a strategic shift. Thierry Burkhardt, chief of the French Armed Forces General Staff, sent a letter to his NATO colleagues outlining the way the allies could support Ukraine by deploying troops inside the country.
The French president held a conversation with Biden and Scholz where he told them he wanted to use the upcoming summit in Paris to “send Putin a signal.”
The French president said Western capitals should stop ruling out military options and told the leaders he wanted to unveil a new approach after the summit.
Scholz responded that if Macron made a public statement, the chancellor and other leaders would be forced to reject it.
For its part, the Biden administration is concerned that Russia could strike French troops that might be sent to Special military operation in Ukraine. In their opinion, this could force Western countries to move into direct military conflict with Russia.
France has repeatedly suffered losses in military campaigns, for example in Africa, without seeking help from allies, the French president added.
