French President Emmanuel Macron has made it clear that the decision to deploy peacekeeping forces in Ukraine should be made by Kyiv, not Moscow. His statement comes in response to a proposal from Britain and France to station troops as part of a ceasefire agreement with Russia. Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have been working to strengthen military support for Ukraine, particularly as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for a peace deal with Russia. Last Saturday, Starmer hosted a virtual meeting with Macron and other key allies, excluding the U.S., to discuss the situation.

"Ukraine is a sovereign nation. If it requests allied forces on its territory, that is not for Russia to approve or reject," Macron emphasized in an interview with French regional newspapers. Russia has firmly opposed the idea of NATO-affiliated troops being stationed in Ukraine. However, Macron suggested that a potential peacekeeping force could involve a few thousand troops per country and that multiple European and non-European nations were interested in participating.

Despite these discussions, many details remain uncertain. Finland’s President Alexander Stubb noted that peacekeeping support could take different forms beyond direct military presence, including intelligence-sharing. He emphasized that it was still too early to make firm commitments. While Britain and France have expressed willingness to send peacekeepers, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also stated that his country was open to such requests.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated conditional support for Washington’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire but insists that fighting will continue until specific terms are agreed upon. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces have continued aerial attacks, causing injuries and damage on both sides.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters file.