UK-French Ukraine military initiative ‘lacks direction'
French President Emmanuel Macron stated last year that Kiev's backers should not rule out placing boots on the ground in Ukraine.
Following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump in January, who has prioritized securing a ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev, Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer rallied together a 'coalition of the willing' – countries that could take part in a post-truce mission in Ukraine. Russia has warned it would not tolerate this.
The next meeting of the coalition is scheduled for Thursday and will be co-chaired by Macron and Starmer from the British Army's Northwood Headquarters, home to NATO's Allied Maritime Command. The gathering coincides with Macron's state visit to the UK.
Politico cited two French officials who said the initiative 'lacks clear direction' and blamed London for its stagnation. They claimed the UK government has placed undue emphasis on securing US backing, which has yet to materialize.
Meanwhile, UK officials have reportedly accused Macron of focusing more on his legacy as his presidency nears the end. The rift over Ukraine is among several 'hairline cracks [that] have started to appear in the cross-Channel bromance,' Politico reported.
The Pentagon has recently suspended some weapons shipments to Ukraine, citing the need to prioritize US self-defense and missions elsewhere. On Sunday, Trump said he is doing 'a lot' to help Ukraine, after being questioned by a reporter on why Washington is not defending Ukraine as robustly as it does Israel.
Last week, Macron called Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time in three years, following Israeli and US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Russia has condemned the attacks as damaging to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Macron said the call was aimed at addressing the implications of the strikes, stressing that France 'bears responsibility for ensuring stability.'
Moscow has accused Western governments of encouraging Kiev to fight 'to the last Ukrainian,' and maintains that no amount of military aid will reverse Ukraine's fortunes on the battlefield.
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