French President Emmanuel Macron's comments about possibly sending Western troops to Ukraine "angered U.S. officials," who privately fear that such a move "might even risk fomenting a clash with Moscow," Bloomberg reported, citing sources, writes UNN.
Details
"With Britain no longer part of the EU and the German government riven by rifts, Macron is emerging as the continent's de facto figurehead in foreign policy. He has taken the lead in confronting Russian aggression and the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip. But not all of his allies are convinced that he is the best defender of their interests," the publication notes.
"His controversial comment about boots on the ground earned an instant and very public recrimination from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and angered US officials who privately say such a move might even risk fomenting a clash with Moscow, according to a senior official familiar with the discussions among allies," the publication said.
Macron's hints were meant to keep Russian dictator Vladimir Putin guessing, he said at the time, "but officials familiar with NATO discussions on Ukraine said they could have had the opposite effect," the publication wrote.
The comments "were also not very reasonable from an operational security standpoint," according to individual officials.
At the same time, according to an official familiar with the discussions at the latest meeting in Brussels, "there is no doubt that some EU prime ministers hope for Macron's leadership, and many welcome his tough stance on russia.
"But one of Europe's many plans to address Ukraine's arms shortage is emblematic of why Macron is irritating some allies. Critics of the French president say he does more talking than doing," the publication notes.
In this context, the publication points to a Czech-led initiative to purchase 800,000 shells in the near future for Ukraine outside the EU and that "although Macron said last month that he supports the Czech initiative, France has not yet made a financial contribution." Germany, on the other hand, is spending 300 million euros on the purchase of shells, the newspaper said.
Supplement
On February 26, during the conclusion of a conference on Ukraine in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron saidthat sending Western troops to Ukraine should not be ruled out. The statement provoked a reaction from Western allies, some of whom spoke out against such an idea.