link to article: https://www.rt.com/news/605032-french-minister-troop-deployment-ukraine/
French president Emmanuel Macron’s stance on the potential choice to deploy troops to the Russo-Ukraine conflict has remained constant since his statement in February, as confirmed by European Affairs Minister Benjamin Haddad. However, this decisive choice has received pushback from other members of NATO for fears of escalating the conflict. Minister Haddad has referenced that this is a necessity in response to Russia’s lack of diplomatic actions, and has gone on to advocate Kiev’s continued use of Western-supplied missiles in the fight against Russia. In June, Macron confirmed that Paris was potentially to deploy military instructors to aid Kiev, a proposal that was blocked by Joe Biden as well as spoken out against by the Spanish, Italian, and German political leaders. Prominent leaders in powerful members of NATO fear escalation and value strategic ambiguity in this conflict. Putin has cautioned Western leaders against deploying forces to Ukraine for fear of escalation to a “serious conflict in Europe and a global conflict.”
I think that the article is important because it discusses a critical NATO member and leader who is pushing for further aid to Kiev despite fears of escalating conflict with Russia and creating a larger-scale global war. Macron’s strategic ambiguity to send military instructors as opposed to the true deployment of troops marks an attempt to contribute to allies in Ukraine without outright engaging France and therefore NATO into a military conflict. However, the US, founder of the military bloc in 1949, disagreed with Macron’s view, citing fears of intensifying the conflict. I think that in Europe, mitigation of future conflict has been a goal since the end of World War II. Personally, I think that Russia is projecting Macron’s policy as very-anti Russia and reduces the credibility of the French Government by pitting its allies (specifically in NATO) as opposed to the ideas of the French executive. Historically, France, as a member of NATO, has allied with the West and the United States over Russia, making this a unique crossroads between a singular member of a powerful military IGO and its influence over a growing conflict in the European region.
We began discussion on the maintenance of order in the world; it comes down to deterrence and a balanced combination of negotiation and threat as shown in this article. Russia has kept its invasion to Ukraine ONLY, knowing that involvement in one of the Baltic States will prompt NATO action. Comparatively, NATO states know that becoming too involved or too much aid to Kiev will prompt Russian retaliation. International order relies on balancing the tightrope of intervention and involvement, and what incentivizes global actors to maintain peace. It is important to understand that if Russia eventually retaliates against a NATO countries’ actions, it will be the culmination of a multi-causational situation.
UPDATE: On October 11th, RT published a video showing French president Emmanuel Macron participating in the training of Ukrainian troops in the north of France by 1,500 French military personnel. He visited the training exercise with the defense minister of France. French pilots are also assisting in the training of Ukrainian pilots and mechanics; as it is likely that the French will be sending fighter jets to Kiev in 2025. This demonstrates Macron’s stance on sending NATO backed troops to Kiev even in the midst of pushback from other Western countries. I am curious to see how much aid and further military resources, including ground/air troops, will influence Russian action towards NATO as well as Ukraine.